Do your hens have an indoor spot to avoid an overly-attentive roo?

[ChickaD]

I'm just wondering if anyone has found a way to provide a little place in the coop where the hens (or pullets) can dart into when the rooster is after them?

Some place too small for him to squeeze into.
Seems like that would be easier than installing a little cold shower for the roo!

 

[silkiechicken]

My hens just run off a few hundred feet or more if they don't want attention. Then again, I have a very calm gentle roo who leaves the girls pretty much alone. A small hole to go through might work... but I've seen my 10 feather duster go through the 7x8inch hole to get into the nest hutches the girls lay in. Still not sure how he does it.

 

[ChickaD]

Yeah, our "girls" can outrun Mr. Eager Beaver outside; it's just when they're in the coop for the night that the place gets turned upside down!

 

[ChickaD]

Ideas, anyone? When it comes to all the chickens being cooped up (overnight, as well as on brutally cold winter days), doesn't ANYONE have the problem of the roo having a "captive audience"? What do you do to give the hens & older pullets a chance to get away from him when they're all inside?

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Trust me, if a hen does not want attention, either she will fly, run or fight the roo off. If you have an aggressive roo then you may need to relocate him. If he is harming his hens by pulling neck feathers out or getting on top of hens that are much smaller than he, then you need to take care of a hens. Most all my roos are very gentle. Nasty roos generally find themselves alone in the yard and the hens see him comming. Nice roos have a flollowing of hens and some are very loyal to him. They look to him for protection and guidance and finding nice treats like grub worms and such.

I have seen my red jungle roo find a few nice plump grubs and call his hens over for the feast. He did not even get one of them. I am sure he has alterier motives.

 

[ChickaD]

Well, he's just trying to do the natural roo thing, but our younger flock (not quite fully mature or laying) shares the same coop space and they are significantly smaller than he is, although he's only 1/2 a yr old. We just added him to the flock for protection and flock control this fall. We'll be getting rid of most of the older hens (4-7 yrs), who were his main targets until we integrated the flocks a few weeks ago.