Help! My Australorp rooster keeps attacking my D'uccle hen!

[Madhen80]

I have a flock of 26 birds currently, most are roosters. The birds are all pretty young- 16 weeks old, except for 3 bantam hens. The Roosters that I am referring to in this are Austarlorps, and all but 1 will be culled soon. My alpha Australorp rooster, the one I plan to keep, keeps mating with my poor little Mille Fleur D'uccle hen. Today they pinned her down so hard, she didn't move for several minutes. I went and picked her up and she didn't move a single feather (this bird doesn't let me hold her at all FYI). I layed her in a nest box and trapped the other birds out for now. My best guess is that he keeps trying to mate with these smaller hens is because they are more mature, and actually hold still for him. I do have 6 other full size pullets, and he aggravates them, but they don't hold still for him. I am wondering when this will end? I am scared for my poor little hens lives. A huge rooster could, and may have already, crush the life out of them Any suggestions? Will this stop when the other pullets mature?

 

[fried green eggs]

It sounds like it's time to cull now. Separate him if, he's the rooster you are keeping? You need to protect you hen until the hen to rooster ratio is more hens for the rooster.

 

[galanie]

I have a flock of 26 birds currently, most are roosters.  The birds are all pretty young- 16 weeks old, except for 3 bantam hens.  The Roosters that I am referring to in this are Austarlorps, and all but 1 will be culled soon.  My alpha Australorp rooster, the one I plan to keep, keeps mating with my poor little Mille Fleur D'uccle hen.  Today they pinned her down so hard, she didn't move for several minutes.  I went and picked her up and she didn't move a single feather (this bird doesn't let me hold her at all FYI).  I layed her in a nest box and trapped the other birds out for now.  My best guess is that he keeps trying to mate with these smaller hens is because they are more mature, and actually hold still for him.  I do have 6 other full size pullets, and he aggravates them, but they don't hold still for him.  I am wondering when this will end?  I am scared for my poor little hens lives.  A huge rooster could, and may have already, crush the life out of them   Any suggestions?  Will this stop when the other pullets mature?

Get those boys out of there. Wait till they are all older, then put him back in. Young, hormonal dudes are pretty rough on hens, as you have witnessed. I'm concerned for your girls being trapped in there with mostly young roosters. You've already seen what can happen, and you haven't even seen the worst that can happen yet. Get them out.

 

[Madhen80]

The roosters leave on Tuesday night. The bantam hens,( except for my OEG bantam cause she is a lion) are staying in the coop during the day until then. I should have mentioned also that they were penned up in the yard, when they usually free range during the day. I hadn't finished putting my dogs up yet. Anyways, I now have a seperate rooster related question. Should I cull this particular rooster, and choose one of the other roos to stay and be my Australorp roo? I am so new to this, I don't really know what is best. I imagine that if I keep one of the others and he moves into the Alpha position that he could potentially be just as rough? The Alpha roo is gorgeous, I hate to cull him. He is better keeping with the standard as well. Opinions? Thanks in advance, running out of time to decide!