Everyone's Moody!

[Alakshak]

14 Months ago my daughter's preschool hatched chicks in her classroom. We took them home and 9 of 10 were roosters. Many of the roosters grew a few months and we put them on the dinner table as a process of elimination. This spring (3 Months ago) I purchased 6 hens for laying. I got rid of all but one rooster, before putting he new chicks in the coop. My last remaining rooster seemed happy, yet still protective.

For the 1st time, I let my rooster and hen run around the yard and free range. At night I'd put them back in the coop and everyone was happy...for a while. My rooster ended up attacking my 4 year old daughter out of no where and I put an end to leaving the coop.

My hen was laying daily. After merging the new chicks with the rooster and hen, the hen kept laying for about 1 month. During that month, the rooster became more moody and aggressive. It ended up attacking me a few times and I'm a 230lb grown man.

After one month, the hen became broody. When I've pulled her from her box, she doesn't have any eggs under her. I've looked all over the coop to see if she's laying elsewhere and there's nothing. She just sits in her box all day and night. Water and food is good and they enjoy watermelon about once a week.

I think it's time to get rid of my rooster. I'm afraid he's getting too aggressive and I can't let him in the yard anymore. Would you suggest I re-introduce a rooster to my hens once they're older? Will the hens 'tame' a new rooster to not attack? Should I be letting my hens free roam to remain 'happier?' What should I do about my crabby hen? Do you think getting rid of the rooster will help her out? I think he's jumping on her a lot and she's tired of it.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Children make erratic movements and sounds that can trigger the roosters instinct to protect his flock. For this reason, roosters and young children don't mix well. My kids are never allowed in the coop/runs without me present. I have been flogged in the past and not only is it lightening quick, but I've been hit at hip level and I'm 5'8" tall. That is face level for a child. You can try to train the rooster by carrying him around and/or pinning him to the ground when he tries to flog you. You can sometimes correct the behavior. My meanie was gone the day I bent over to fill a waterer and he went for my head. It is not worth keeping a bad rooster around when there are so many great ones out there that are wonderful to have in your flock. My current roosters (5 of them) are all perfect gentlemen and have never once thought of flogging me, my kids, or even strangers.