Hens attack rooster

[Rooslover]

Hello folks,
I got myself a new flock of 10 hens. There are different breeds - Leghorn, Biblue, Barred, Red. They are young hens some started laying, others not. I guess they are 4-6 months. The were numerous fights but it seems like they established their pecking order.
By accident, instead of an adult rooster, they sent me a baby rooster, still making chick noises.
He must be 2-3 months and is terrified of the hens. They want to destroy the him! It's not pecking, it's murder attempts.
I separated him from the flock. He lives in the cage inside the run where the hens can see him, they got used to him in the cage but they moment he is out, violence starts.
We are hoping that when he grows and reaches maturity things will change. We have had him for 2 months and still no progress. He looks like pullet, his comb not fully developed. He hasn't started crowing, no sign of testosteron. Do you think these might be the missing elements? Will the hens ever accept him? Im exhausted of waking up before the sunset ever day to make sure the hens dont get out before him and get a hold of him. I have to put him in a separate wooden box to sleep at night, making sure no hen gets in it. Is there a chance he will ever be a member of this flock?
And advice? Ideas?

 

[Crazy Chicken Keeper]

Hello folks,
I got myself a new flock of 10 hens. There are different breeds - Leghorn, Biblue, Barred, Red. They are young hens some started laying, others not. I guess they are 4-6 months. The were numerous fights but it seems like they established their pecking order.
By accident, instead of an adult rooster, they sent me a baby rooster, still making chick noises.
He must be 2-3 months and is terrified of the hens. They want to destroy the him! It's not pecking, it's murder attempts.
I separated him from the flock. He lives in the cage inside the run where the hens can see him, they got used to him in the cage but they moment he is out, violence starts.
We are hoping that when he grows and reaches maturity things will change. We have had him for 2 months and still no progress. He looks like pullet, his comb not fully developed. He hasn't started crowing, no sign of testosteron. Do you think these might be the missing elements? Will the hens ever accept him? Im exhausted of waking up before the sunset ever day to make sure the hens dont get out before him and get a hold of him. I have to put him in a separate wooden box to sleep at night, making sure no hen gets in it. Is there a chance he will ever be a member of this flock?
And advice? Ideas?

I had this problem once - the rooste had a bloody comb by the time I seperated him. He was 2 months old. Four months later I reintroduced him and it wasfine. That is my advice. The no crowing and no comb thing might be playing apart he is not obviously a rooster to the hens

 

[SkyAJK]

It will take about a year for the rooster to fully develop, so I think your rooster will get there in time and he will find his way to lead the flock, but this of course will come with the initial challenge, it will past and he will lead his flock.

A few years back, one of our hatchling was - a rooster. He was about 8 or 9months when he started challenge our flock of hens, some of them supported each other to fight him, it was hard to watch. I only let them all out together an hour a day with supervision.

Then I housed him in a run with just a few hens at first, they eventually settled and be a little family, then I added a few more hens. It worked out quite well in the end.

Be patient, & give him some help, he will find his way

 

[Ridgerunner]

HI, welcome to the forum, glad you joined!

By accident, instead of an adult rooster, they sent me a baby rooster, still making chick noises.

It is a matter of maturity. Your pullets are more mature than your cockerel. It is not unusual for more mature chickens to bully or even brutally attack less mature chickens. About the time my pullets start to lay they are accepted by the older hens as mature enough to join the flock. Until then they avoid the adults as they are likely to get pecked or worse if they get too close to the adults. During the day that means I have two separate flocks. At night they do not sleep together on the same roosts.

The same type of thing is happening to your cockerel. Those pullets are much more mature than he is so if he gets close they peck or attack. It can be quite vicious. In the wild they avoid each other, sleeping in different trees and staying far away during the day. But we keep them in coops and runs so they don't have room to stay away.

There could be other stuff going on also but that's the main point. So what can you do?

Can you return him and get a more mature male. Since some of your pullets are laying I'd want one a little older than them. Most of my cockerels are capable of acting like a mature male by around 7 months of age. I'd prefer one older still but in your situation I'd settle for that. I think your odds of getting them to all behave would be pretty good.

You can house him separately for a few more months. It's long enough I'd build separate facilities so you don't have to be out there so much. House them across wire so they can see each other. Then when he is 7 months old try it and see what happens.

Eat him or get rid of him and find another cockerel or rooster of a suitable age. If you bring in a mature rooster it should go well since some pullets are laying.