Early Rooster Puberty?

[Courtney Kenworthy]

I have a 3 month old bantam rooster who is beginning to get a little rowdy, we've noticed over the past few days he has been chasing our bantam hen (she's the only small hen) this behavior began happening when we started putting them inside the coop at night because they have been staying outside and we want them the know that inside the coop is where they should sleep at night... We have 7 birds in total, the coop is 6'x6' and the run is 12'x12', is this a possible cause for the way he's acting? or is this normal pecking order / early puberty behavior?

 

[sourland]

His teenaged hormones are kicking in. He's a pretty bird.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That's not all that early for a cockerel to hit puberty. Most of mine wait a few more weeks but not all. So, yes, puberty.

 

[Mrs. K]

Just a small corner view of your run I can see in that picture, I would suggest adding a lot more clutter to it (perhaps you have in the part I can't see). If you were to sit down in the run, could you see every single bird in the run? If so you do not have enough clutter. A lot of runs I see on here are like that, and they waste the space of the third dimension the vertical space.

It really helps birds get along if they can get away from each other and out of sight. Adding boxes, totes on their sides, pallets up on blocks or leaned against a wall and some roosts really will allow the pullet to get away from the cockerel.

My own rule of thumb is a feed bowl for every 3-4 birds, but the most important aspect of the second feed bowl, is that it needs to be placed so that a bird eating at the first bowl cannot see anyone at the second bowl.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

We have 7 birds in total

Is he the only male?

 

[Courtney Kenworthy]

Is he the only male?

yes he is the only male.