Derrick... To go or not to go?

[Blodwyn0419]

Derrick is my 4 month old rooster. He has had quite a bit of testosterone since he was a lad. He murdered a little dove that got in the house looking for seed, it was pretty horrific. Lately he has been down right nasty.

He attacks my oldest hen who has a bad leg. He targets her and as a result his time with the flock has been limited.

Today I noticed a lot of aggressive behaviours, he was wing dancing and it definitely was not the friendly kind.

I let him out as I was around to watch. Well, he chased my 3 yr old. Then the dogs went nuts, so I took my old hen, Elsie and my daughter and went to check things out.

We were gone for a little bit, it was a kangaroo so my daughter was having a good look. Then I hear my guinea fowl absolutely losing their marbles. This is new as they are still young. So we hurry back. Well I am glad I took Elsie with me because she probably would be dead.
Derrick was attacking Sharalanda. He wasn't trying to mate with her, he was in front of her ripping at her comb and near her eye. I grabbed him and returned him to his house, which is where the guinea fowl are.

Sharalanda is ok, but stressed, I just need to watch she does not get an infection.

Well later I go out to check on her and he has done the same thing to one of the guineas, he has now been separated completely.

I have made arrangements to rehome, but I wonder if he will calm, if there is something I can do or if I am biting off more than I can chew keeping him?

I have a lot on my plate with 2 kids under 3, a husband who works away and a yard of animals, plus normal house work. But I can devote some time to him.

My major concern is the hens and my kids. I don't want to risk their health.

I never wanted a rooster, he just was mistakenly sexed as a girl at the stock place I bought them from.

 

[Alagirl]

do you want that kind of stress in your life?

 

[Sussex19]

To me it definitely sounds like he needs to go, particularly as you've got children on the younger side.
No good cockerel or rooster (even if it's a teenager) should behave like that.

 

[Blodwyn0419]

Thanks. I needed to hear this. I didn't want to be the kind of person who gave up too easily if there was hope. I have never had a rooster before, I know they get a bad wrap and they aren't that bad at all. But I was really feeling he was a bit over the top and it may have been a personality thing.
I will rehome him tomorrow with a better conscience. Perhaps a new place may help calm him down, he won't be so 'cocky'.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The 3 year old is the key. The fact that he's chased her already, and you've seen the damage to the hen... imagine that happening to your child.

If you're rehoming him, make sure you disclose his issues. Him chasing someone else's child isn't acceptable either.

 

[Blodwyn0419]

He is going back to the place that sold him to me. Hoping they pass the info on to whoever buys him.

Poor Sharalanda. Her skin has swollen below her eye and she has bruising. I will monitor her. Other than the visible damage she has calmed down and is her old self again. I think removing him all together has brought the older chooks peace, but the young hens are a bit out of sorts because he is gone.

 

[Blodwyn0419]

Update: Derrick has been relocated back to the stock yard.

Sharalanda is doing well. Swelling has gone down.

Unfortunately, Derrick's attack on the Guinea had left them all distressed. While I was out taking Derrick they tried to get out and kept hitting themselves on the wire cage. Then it seems they got curious about the marks they had given themselves and they started pecking each other and made them worse.

Anyway, I ended up having to let them all out instead of just a few, I didn't feel they were ready for this. 2 flew the fence but I was able to usher them back in.

Thankfully I still had all 6 guineas this evening and they went back to their roost with the chooks. Being distracted by their outing, they stopped pecking each other and the wounds looked a lot better. They also seem more relaxed.

I feel sad that Derrick has gone, you get attached when you raise them but I know it's for the best.

Thanks everyone for your comments. I appreciate it

 

[Sussex19]

Thanks for the update, and glad that Sharalanda is doing well!

 

[3KillerBs]

Well, he chased my 3 yr old.

In my flock he wouldn't have seen the next sunrise after that.

Wouldn't have seen the sunset if I could catch him.

 

[Blodwyn0419]

I had a chuckle at that. Well put.