Help! My Rooster is pecking at my hens!!

[Nuggetsowner:)]

My Nugget started doing The wierdest thing!!

He gets behind a one of the hens and puffs himself up then like pecks her in the head and sort of holds her head down till she squacks like the dickens and runs away!!
I have seen him do this to my smallest hen. As well as some of the ones I consider to be higher up in the pecking order?? They are all the same age, about 15 weeks old. No sign of anyone being close to laying eggs, although the girls have been setting in the nesting boxes. The straw/hay whatever is all matted down but I have not seen any poop in there like other in the forum have talked about. Can anyone tell me if this is "normal" behavior? Should I be concerned? I am worried. I love Nugget but I cannot have him hurting my girls!!!

 

[Rosalind]

He is trying to mate her. She might not be old enough for it yet--sounds like Nugget is, um, well, your state probably will put him on a special list and you'll have to live at least 300 yards from schools, type of thing.

Two of my big standard Cochins have been doing the same to my little bitty Buttercup pullets. I had to separate them today, the guys were picking on the pullets so badly that some of the girls were afraid to come off the roost for treats. They were getting thin! Poor anorexic teenage girls. The boys are now behind bars, doing time in chicken jail.

 

[BeckyLa]

Yeah, he's learning to mate and she's not cooperating.

Give them time.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

I see alot of that going on here too... tis normal... just a horney lil devil

I think I might have to put a few of mine in chicken jail too

 

[Nuggetsowner:)]

What if I don't want them to mate!! AGHHHH! I want eggs!! I am new to this and when I ordered I did not plan on getting a rooster. Nugget was an Oops but I do love him. If He "mates" with my girls will I only get fertilized eggs. That is not good right! Should I seperate him from the girls for a while? Should I consider... well what about Nugget???

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

okay I am no eggspert on this, so I know someone with more experiance will come along and answer.... from the posts that I have read... there is nothing wrong with fertilized eggs... you can eat them! They do not start their embrio stage for sometime... there was another posts on here but cant remember who wrote it. And if you pick up the eggs everymorning and everynight you will not have a problem with opening an egg with a chickie in it. As for your roo... he cant fertilize all of them... I would leave him be... and their mating has nothing to do with egg production

good luck
Tes

 

[Nuggetsowner:)]

Ok thanks for all the advice. For now he is on probation:/. Next step will be jail! He had better be careful with my girls and let them warm up to him a little more before he starts in with the moves or he is going to have to be "put away" for awile!

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Probation... too funny!!!!!! My older ones have been trying too with my younger ones... and I have noticed that they do get away, and don't be frightened if you see a few feathers missing on the back of the neck... it's normal... if you get too worried you can also get them those saddles that they use for mating.

Good Luck
Tes

 

[Nuggetsowner:)]

I watched them for over two hours this morning and did not notice him doing it at all!! The girls must have ganged up on him last night after I went in and taught him a lesson!

Well anyway hopefully he will give them some time. At least now i know that it is nothing to be worried about! I thank my lucky stars that I can turn to you guys for advice. YOu are all so helpful! Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou!