Delaware cockerel aggressive to other chicks

[Kathys Coop]

I have total 26 - 10 week old chickens. I lost 2 early on unfortunately they were girls. I only wanted 2 roosters for my flock but the hatchery sent me the free chick...which i specifically said i didn't want. So i have 1 Black Australorp cockerel & 1 Delaware cockerel that seems to be doing great not aggressive to hens, and good with myself and my family so far. However i have a 3rd cockerel (delaware) that seems to be very aggressive to the pullets and it has gotten worse the last week. He pulls their legs and drags them, bites on them and pulls. Even if they get loose he runs around after them while they are screaming. Last nights episode was enough for me I had to separate him. Luckily i have 2 separate rooms in my coop. Today it seems like the mood in the main room with everyone is so much more peaceful. BTW my coop is very big and up until last night had the two rooms open so they could all roam around freely.
I'm not sure what i should do at this point. Is this normal behavior at this age? I thought he still had a little time to hit maturity and even if was hitting maturity this behavior is not going to work. Any thoughts? I was going to wait until they get a little older give all 3 roosters a chance and then get rid of which ever one was causing issues but i'm wondering if now is the time?

 

[DobieLover]

I have total 26 - 10 week old chickens. I lost 2 early on unfortunately they were girls. I only wanted 2 roosters for my flock but the hatchery sent me the free chick...which i specifically said i didn't want. So i have 1 Black Australorp cockerel & 1 Delaware cockerel that seems to be doing great not aggressive to hens, and good with myself and my family so far. However i have a 3rd cockerel (delaware) that seems to be very aggressive to the pullets and it has gotten worse the last week. He pulls their legs and drags them, bites on them and pulls. Even if they get loose he runs around after them while they are screaming. Last nights episode was enough for me I had to separate him. Luckily i have 2 separate rooms in my coop. Today it seems like the mood in the main room with everyone is so much more peaceful. BTW my coop is very big and up until last night had the two rooms open so they could all roam around freely.
I'm not sure what i should do at this point. Is this normal behavior at this age? I thought he still had a little time to hit maturity and even if was hitting maturity this behavior is not going to work. Any thoughts? I was going to wait until they get a little older give all 3 roosters a chance and then get rid of which ever one was causing issues but i'm wondering if now is the time?

I would rehome this guy.
If you can find someone with a flock of mature hens that would be willing to take him because he is nice, the hens will knock the snot out of him. He needs it.

 

[Chickassan]

Welcome to delaware cockrel ownership. He will NOT be fun to raise and won't improve.
From experience I second @DobieLover he needs the turds kicked out of him by some mean old ladies. Geeze you don't even want to know how hard he's going to end up being able to bite!

 

[chrissynemetz]

I totally agree. Don't wait, re-home him as soon as possible. If he's this rough now he'll only get worse without a few adult chickens to put him in his place. And even then he could continue to be overly aggressive

 

[Chickassan]

Lol, this isn't funny but seriously delaware boys bite like a dull pair of scissors iv'e never seen anything like it.
And the bite I got wasn't malicious,it was for attention.
They really are something that has to be respected.

 

[aart]

Last nights episode was enough for me I had to separate him. Luckily i have 2 separate rooms in my coop. Today it seems like the mood in the main room with everyone is so much more peaceful.

There's your answer, get rid of him....couple-few more weeks and he'll be good on the grill

 

[Kathys Coop]

Thanks everyone. I let him out of the separate room I had him in yesterday and after five minutes he was doing it again and very badly. It’s definitely not fair to the ladies. Their part of the coop was so peaceful the last few days without him.
I figured if he was doing it now it wouldn’t get better. I’m going to do some asking around this weekend to see if anyone would want him but so far I don’t have anyone. I guess I’m going to have to keep him separate for now.

 

[DobieLover]

Thanks everyone. I let him out of the separate room I had him in yesterday and after five minutes he was doing it again and very badly. It’s definitely not fair to the ladies. Their part of the coop was so peaceful the last few days without him.
I figured if he was doing it now it wouldn’t get better. I’m going to do some asking around this weekend to see if anyone would want him but so far I don’t have anyone. I guess I’m going to have to keep him separate for now.

I rehomed this guy about 2 weeks after posting this picture on Craigslist and two local poultry groups on FB. The woman who took him was thrilled with him. He went to a home with 4 grown hens.

 

[Chickassan]

I gave mine away to a place with a mostly turkey flock. He was a much better turkey. Cletus never was my brightest boy.