Henpecked Rooster

[BayNatives]

This isn't necessarily a question but an observation. Of course I'd welcome advice but I suppose this is just another interesting thing that chickens do.

I've been taking care of a rescue rooster for a couple months. I built him a nice, protected 4'x8' split level condo and he gets out to another sunny chicken-wire day spa some days... he gets to free range a couple hours in the evening and this primarily consists of visiting the neighbor's hens through the chain link fence. I've noticed one of the three hens, now another pecking him in the face through the fence. He just stands there and takes it because he is so horny and desperate in his first spring mating season as a teenager... he is a very very frustrated rooster! He generally spends his days grousing to me: "woe is chicken! I'm so bored and horny and unsatisfied". "Groan, moan, *****, moan". "Preen preen". "Yes I am handsome aren't I"? More plaintive grousing....

Tonight I saw the second hen peck him. He is a huge (shy until his hormones blossomed) Silver-laced Wyandotte, she is a fairly large Barred Rock and they have been total sweethearts flirting through the fence until now, to my knowledge. They looked to be having a sweet dinner date making happy burbling sounds to each other as they pecked and scratched at the ground on their respective sides of the fence, enjoying each other's company. He couldn't resist some "hey-baby" mating dance with wings dropped and strutting, he was so excited, then she started hammering him in the face through the chain link fence, her making similar 'happy to forage and peck' sounds all the while though it looked pretty violent to me. This explains the scabs on his comb and wattle. It's not too bad, probably not much I can do about it either short of getting them together. I probably could arrange a short face-to-face date but don't know if that would really help or might make him even more frustrated. Sigh. At least he isn't chicken soup! I do what I can.

pics: https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=rooster&user_id=21068427@N08&view_all=1

 

[BayNatives]

Here's a video of them interacting:

 

[junebuggena]

Why are you keeping him separate? If you are trying to keep him quarantined, you've not managed it. Quarantine is where they don't have any contact at all and you meticulously keep everything including your shoes and clothing separate. Are you worried about fertilized eggs or something? I just can't see why you don't let him join the flock.

 

[rlhagan56]

He said he has a rescue rooster for a couple of months. And also the hens are the neighbors.
Personally I would keep him away from the neighbors hens because it is just kind of mean, like keeping a stallion next to mares he can't reach. The face pecking is normal behavior and the red hen is protecting her area. When I introduced Valentino, who is huge to my little hens, they did the same across the fence. When that quit (they were all in a large run) I let the hens in with him and they were all fine. He is a good protector for them.

He is a beautiful rooster by the way.

 

[BayNatives]

The neighbor has in mind that roosters are mean and doesn't want him to harass his ladies.

At least he isn't soup :-(

I would give him an acre to free range and 20 wives if I could, but can't offer that.

These are old ladies who have been around the block and they aren't interested in a young rooster's attentions. Well, they are interested, (he is interesting) but only to a point, then they get fed up.

 

[BayNatives]

I thought about cutting off access because he's a teenager in the throes of puberty and since he discovered the hens he's really changed - won't let me pick him up any more, etc. But, without the free range time in the evenings after I close the store, he would just be in his coop all the time and that's not a good option either. He's got a two-level 4x8' coop and I try to hang out and talk with him and customers will swing by and admire him but mostly he's terribly bored and lonely and just grouses and moans most of the time. He really needs the free range time, even if he spends the majority of that getting frustrated with the hens.

 

[BayNatives]

I got him some ladies and all is well now: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/317743/why-is-my-rooster-in-the-nest-box/20#post_15675438