Has my rooster lost his mind?

[seminolewind]

Today I start to realize my girls are skinny and not laying. The roo is not skinny. But I think I'm realizing that another pen with the same number of chickens and a roo eat a bowl of food a day. This roo with my girls hiding, their feed bowl sometimes goes 3 days!!!!!!! No I know why.

 

[Outpost JWB]

So, here is a pic of "Sue". He is the one that I had to put in a dog crate for 2 weeks to reset his attitude. He has been much nicer to me since. It took him a couple days after the solitaire confinement, but he is back to ruling the roost.

Do you think your rooster is bulling the hens so they can't eat? Sue calls the girls to eat and he eats last. Always.

 

[seminolewind]

I like that expression- reset the attitude. Today he was better with the girls . I've been sitting with the hens and the feed bowl the last few evenings. Today he was napping in the sun with 2 other hens. So I hope most of it will blow over. My oldest girl, Mariska still keeps away from him.

However, if he continues to be a lunkhead, he too will need his attitude reset-the same way, LOL

A rooster should always let the girls eat first.

 

[centrarchid]

Where is he in the molt cycle? How is his weight?

 

[seminolewind]

Hi. His weight is good , his keel does not stick out. Molting? They are all molting but I can't say I've looked to see if he's molting.

 

[centrarchid]

My rooster are normally very good with hens and even go broody. This time of year while molt most intense, many loose much of their interest in being harem masters and tend to drift away from hens although they still get along well with young offspring. During this they tend to be more pecky with hens which particularly evident as they go to roost. This is also time they do not like to be touched. Once new feathers are in they will resume the more sociable harem master role.

 

[seminolewind]

My rooster are normally very good with hens and even go broody. This time of year while molt most intense, many loose much of their interest in being harem masters and tend to drift away from hens although they still get along well with young offspring. During this they tend to be more pecky with hens which particularly evident as they go to roost. This is also time they do not like to be touched. Once new feathers are in they will resume the more sociable harem master role.

Thankyou! I hope that's the case. I used to sit out for hours watching roo behavior. This is really interesting!

 

[Outpost JWB]

Chicken television! Love that channel!

 

[soydo]

Some roosters are aggressive to non-breeding hens. Those roosters normally change their attitude for the better towards specific hens once they are laying/breeding again.

It's not always the same, some are like yours- treat the non breeders as if they were another rooster. Others will at most be aggressive towards non breeders if too close, like at feeding time with a sharp bite to their head.

Often those roosters are very aggressive towards broody hens and their chicks.

If this rooster shows interest in actively laying/breeding hens then you know what his problem is. He may have lowered interest right now due to being in molt. If possible, separate the rooster so the hens are able to get a break and have proper diet during their own molt.

 

[seminolewind]

Chicken television! Love that channel!

Yea , me too!