Dealing with a 1 year old rooster

[BigBlueHen53]

Not hating the idea, but where do you throw him? Too close to your flock(s) and would that not lead to predators knowing chickens are in the area?

As far away as possible, yes. Or if you're up for processing him, make soup or even feed the meat to your dogs. My comment about tossing the body into the woods was kind of reactionary, toward the poster who suggested using him as "live bait," an idea I found reprehensible. I would not put a LIVE rooster (or any animal) out into the forest (or anywhere on my property) as bait for predators so I could shoot them, is what I was saying.

 

[ACS285]

Care to elaborate?

He gets mad when I go in the run and I don't let him follow. Sometimes he tries to flog the back of my legs as I go in but it's a guaranteed show down when I'm coming back out. His shield goes up and he goes for the leg. See, I played soccer for quite a few years and I very easily side step him and give a light tap with the other leg like taking a pass... Usually I can then claim my ground and stare daggers at him telling him no and he'll back down. He may or may not mock charge me as I walk away. His level of reaction isn't always predictable but if he charges me he stops when I turn my head.
Other days he's my best buddy and he'll follow me around the yard or into the shed, around the garden, or hang out in the garage while I'm putting something together and we have absolutely no issues.
When my last hen passed unexpectedly, I had just started recovering from surgery... I could get to Baba's enclosure no problem and open the door but getting up the hill to the coop was out of the question. I'm not certain how long she was out there like that but I've got a pretty good guess. It was late morning and Baba started crowing on the porch. When he's really needy, he stands on my chair and looks into the window and crows. I see him on my chair so I go out and he ran off the porch immediately. I didn't understand and he came back did some shuffling pecked my toe and quickly made his way off the porch again. I still didn't understand nor did I want to be on my feet and I dismissed him and went for the door. Next thing I knew he was beating the hell outta me. Spurred me 2x in one leg and got the other leg either lightly with his spurs or that's where he bit down to anchor himself. I don't know... I grabbed him by the neck and shoved him off the porch, closed the gate, and went inside. When my boyfriend got home I told him about it and I thought maybe he sensed my weakness so he had to deal with him. Later when he came back in from collecting the eggs he told me he found my favorite hen laying in the run. Said she likely died that morning. So... I can't find a way to hold that attack against him... I think I would have done the same if I were him. But it happened.

 

[FrostRanger]

He gets mad when I go in the run and I don't let him follow. Sometimes he tries to flog the back of my legs as I go in but it's a guaranteed show down when I'm coming back out. His shield goes up and he goes for the leg. See, I played soccer for quite a few years and I very easily side step him and give a light tap with the other leg like taking a pass... Usually I can then claim my ground and stare daggers at him telling him no and he'll back down. He may or may not mock charge me as I walk away. His level of reaction isn't always predictable but if he charges me he stops when I turn my head.
Other days he's my best buddy and he'll follow me around the yard or into the shed, around the garden, or hang out in the garage while I'm putting something together and we have absolutely no issues.
When my last hen passed unexpectedly, I had just started recovering from surgery... I could get to Baba's enclosure no problem and open the door but getting up the hill to the coop was out of the question. I'm not certain how long she was out there like that but I've got a pretty good guess. It was late morning and Baba started crowing on the porch. When he's really needy, he stands on my chair and looks into the window and crows. I see him on my chair so I go out and he ran off the porch immediately. I didn't understand and he came back did some shuffling pecked my toe and quickly made his way off the porch again. I still didn't understand nor did I want to be on my feet and I dismissed him and went for the door. Next thing I knew he was beating the hell outta me. Spurred me 2x in one leg and got the other leg either lightly with his spurs or that's where he bit down to anchor himself. I don't know... I grabbed him by the neck and shoved him off the porch, closed the gate, and went inside. When my boyfriend got home I told him about it and I thought maybe he sensed my weakness so he had to deal with him. Later when he came back in from collecting the eggs he told me he found my favorite hen laying in the run. Said she likely died that morning. So... I can't find a way to hold that attack against him... I think I would have done the same if I were him. But it happened.

That changes things, if he's outright attacking he needs to be culled, the fact that he's a brute when mating is just the final nail in the coffin, you can find a much nicer rooster in need of a good home or have the flock raise one up themselves. I would absolutely add more girls before you consider another rooster (which you are working on)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Or once again, consider whether you need a rooster at all. If you're not breeding, you don't. A rooster can do you a serious injury and his behavior will not improve, it will get worse. Time for him to go. And not, "free to good home," where he can hurt someone else, possibly a child.

 

[Kakaruk]

Last year our hens hatched a chick, turned out to be a cockerel. Our flock consisted of 5 hens & 1 rooster all 4 years old. This past April, when cockerel was now a 1 year old rooster, several hens had broken feathers on their back. My husband witnessed the older rooster driving the young one away, then very aggressively mating with a hen. Huh, we thought, it must be the older one who's become aggressive...so he was culled.

Wrong decision. Young rooster was very aggressive with the hens. He's also aggressive with us, charges us with spurs. We always have a wooden rake (as for raking leaves) with us when dealing with him.

We separated the young rooster, by keeping him in a separate 'big' yard which has high fencing but is open overhead (there are trees and some old glass doors that are angled out for shelter) during the day, the hens are kept in the adjacent 'little' yard which includes the coop and is protected on all sides as well as above. After we have enclosed the hens in the coop for the night, we let the rooster in the little yard so he's better protected from raccoons and owls. In this way, the rooster can see and hear the hens all day, he's on the other side of wire fencing, but can't touch them.

We did this for a few weeks, then let them all together again. The young rooster continued to be aggressive. We had 1 hen who seemed terrified of him - she hid in the coop. When she came out for food & water, young rooster would go after her. If she couldn't get away, she would cower low on the ground, I could see her whole body shaking. With another hen he was so aggressive, he ripped her comb off her head. We separated him again...it's been about 4 weeks now.

Meantime, we have 5 pullets, they should start laying in August. We have them in their own little coop, in their own protected little yard, and access / intermingling with the now 5 year old hens via a pop door between the 2 little yards.

The only reason we keep rooster at this point is for predator protection. I understand at 1 year old he's got raging hormones....but is there any reason to believe those will calm down enough for him to be a gentlemen with the girls within the next few months? Keeping them separate like this isn't giving the hens any protection. I question the point of keeping him.

Well, that's too bad. I don't presume to tell you what to do but it sounds like he needs rehomed somewhere else. I will share this: I had years of hens without any rooster and the girls were happy, friendly, fairly nice to each other, and productive. This last flock I hatched and arranged last fall had three roosters, two I rehomed quickly so we had one rooster - a Black Sumatran - and it was super aggressive to our whole family and the hens. The kids wanted to keep him of course but it got so bad and the hens were also pecking each other. I had to rehome him too, which was a challenge. The girls seem to have never fully recovered and are still pretty aggressive towards each other and edgy/jumpy. They are being productive layers and I've had lots of problems with broodiness, which I think is also a part result of the rooster early on. I honestly don't ever want to have a rooster ever, ever again. I repeat: most of my chicken life has been hens without a rooster, they're happy, friendly, not jumpy, and productive etc. I think the 'protection' idea of a rooster is over-rated and an 'old wives tale' if we're still allowed to use that term. I only let my hens out less than an hour before sundown and I try to be with them most of the time. They are happy and safe and I am the rooster in the evening when they are outside the run and it's not every day either.

 

[ACS285]

I know you're all not wrong. I've found myself wondering if adopting a new rooster would be the wiser choice. I know that I'd never be able to give him to someone else but I don't know that I'm ready to give up on him yet though. Not only because I worry about what if I get one that also doesn't work out but I let them all free range and he's proven his worth already. I live within a national forest and we've got almost all the predators to worry about including fishers. (Which would shred him anyway but he'd try his best )

At least outside the run he has other things on his mind. But he really does do a good job keeping all those brats together and safe. I didn't realize until I started letting them free without him. You'd think they all hate to be seen together sometimes unless it's going for a stroll down the street then they're all together... He's also successfully chased off a hawk that was gunning for the smallest hen last year. They were all together under the spruce tree when it happened. I wouldn't have been able to get in there. He also confronted the neighbors dog long enough to confuse the dog and for me and the owner to get control of the dog.
When he's watching the hens I feel comfortable walking away for a couple minutes and coming back because I know what he sounds like when he's concerned about something.

How do I pick a roo that can definitely do what Baba does and be less bipolar?

 

[z3lda3]

Or once again, consider whether you need a rooster at all. If you're not breeding, you don't. A rooster can do you a serious injury and his behavior will not improve, it will get worse. Time for him to go. And not, "free to good home," where he can hurt someone else, possibly a child.

I’ll add my 2 cents. Do you need a rooster..I’m not sure. Do you need a “bad” rooster? No!
I’ve got 30 hens and they have two wonderful roosters. The boys are great to the hens and my family and I. They keep hen bickering down, and my primary has shown my pullets where to lay. Neither rooster assaults the hens. And wonder of wonders both boys get along. Last week my “secondary” fought off a hawk attacking my little bantam hen. He literally saved her. I LOVE having my roosters. Having said that, I know what a good rooster is. There’s no need to complicate things and stress out the hens with a “bad” one.
(Also whatever happens with hens and roosters, I’ll NEVER use one for live bait. It’s sickeningly cruel.)

 

[McChooky]

Sounds like a solid plan, thanks!

Yes I only have the one rooster now. Unfortunately the other one was way more docile but had an issue with his one leg. He came that way.

I'm hoping this roo chills out with more hens. If he doesn't though I may seriously consider giving a new rooster a chance. I didn't realize they didn't have to be so... "Demanding" with the hens. He's developed some worrying behaviors towards people since separation, especially me. So we'll see if he can straighten up and fly right.

Thanks again!

I raised 2 that shared the hens which led to my girls being overmated. (I had 22)The reserved rooster mated the hens first. The friendly rooster waited longer and didn't try to fight my other rooster.They roosted side by side until I broke them up and put the bossy one in the run by himself .He became aggressive by himself but I didn't have to deal with him long because I had him promised at a young age.

 

[ACS285]

I raised 2 that shared the hens which led to my girls being overmated. (I had 22)The reserved rooster mated the hens first. The friendly rooster waited longer and didn't try to fight my other rooster.They roosted side by side until I broke them up and put the bossy one in the run by himself .He became aggressive by himself but I didn't have to deal with him long because I had him promised at a young age.

I wonder how he worked out for the new home ... I mean, I would lash out if I was suddenly ostracized without understanding why or being able to communicate my frustrations with the situation. Maybe I should switch up how I have them separated.
Right now he's 30-50 ft away from the hens but just to sleep. I feel bad and let him out immediately every day.

I have fencing enough for the length of the run I can use to keep him off the hens and a dog crate that'll fit and he can sleep in. Then I can see if he shows signs of improvement before letting him back and the new hens can quarantine for a little bit. Oh boy... Ill have a 3 way split for a couple weeks or so after quarantine is up but... I got time to create that solution.

 

[Kakaruk]

Or once again, consider whether you need a rooster at all. If you're not breeding, you don't. A rooster can do you a serious injury and his behavior will not improve, it will get worse. Time for him to go. And not, "free to good home," where he can hurt someone else, possibly a child.

I'd say goodbye to rooster and 'don't forget to write!'