do roosters bother baby chicks?

[bethsplace]

this will be my first baby chicks that I will let the hen keep, will the rooster bother the chicks? he is young about 16 weeks old and pretty much full grown he stays around her all the time I think he knows what she is doing. I am going to seperate her from my full size chickens, I found the last time she had some chicks that I hatched for someone they would bother them. she is a cochan mix but she is at the top of the pecking order

 

[faykokoWV]

I guess it all depends on the rooster. Some can get aggressive with the chicks and kill them (or so I have read on here, no experience myself) I would watch him closely the first few days and make sure to give the little ones places they can run and hide in.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

I would say YES. Roosters tend to be more aggressive, and my hens are mean to new chicks... still even after 4 months, the hens are still chasing and pecking the babies...

 

[stuckinthecity]

ALSO, it depends on the hen. My EE hen wont let any of the other chickens near her chicks, except a barred turken cross pullet that pecks them. I think she has adopted it... she doesnt do anything which makes me sooo mad, so i have seperated the mean one.

 

[keesmom]

I really think it depends on the roo. My old BLRW could care less about chicks, from day olds right up until puberty. At that point he may chase the young roos away and try to breed the young girls.
But he's a mellow guy. I've also had him for a while and I know what his temperment is like.

If you have one you're not sure of then I'd keep them separated.

-Cindy in MA

 

[sred98]

Maybe it depends on the breed of roo? My EE roo adopted an orphan BO and 2 baby guineas. They sleep tucked up under his wings at night, and the BO is almost as big as he is, and the guineas are almost as big!

I need to get a pic!

He also protects them from the "Gang" of adult guineas I have that run rampant randomly attacking anything that moves.

Shelly

 

[shelleyd2008]

It definitely depends on the roo. I have several bantam roos that will help take care of the chicks 'their girls' have, but will attack chicks from someone else. Then I have some bantam roos that seem to think they are everyone's daddy, and try to help raise all the babies. My dad's RIR roo has been caught trying to kill baby chicks. It's a good thing he's faster than me, or he would have been in the pot!!

 

[BC_Kelly]

As others have said - depends on the Rooster, the Chicks

And whatever else "Mother Nature" may be up to that we can only guess at

(go 'manually' to see for yourself - can't get the 'code' here to work - d'oh)


brittonclouse.com/chickenrunrescue/photos08/index.php?showimage=147


Then click 'previous' to see more pics of this 'unique family'

Amazing, eh ?

(smile)

 

[angelbabyamy]

My silkie roo would protect my hen'schicks. If you turned your back on him he'd flog you! I've seen scared chicks run under his legs and hide!

 

[ScissorChick]

I've learned the hard way not to take that chance when

they killed 2 chicks and severly injured 1. I really dont think

it was my roo, more the other hens, but please dont take a

chance. You could keep them seperatly in a smaller fence until

the babies get bigger. If you decide to keep them all together

watch and be sure the roo doesn't seem 'funny' around them,

and if you see any problems, seperate them immediatly.