Hens won’t leave rooster alone

[HilaryAkin]

My hens, one silver laces Wyandotte leader, pecked my roosters tail until it was bleeding profusely. I segregated him but still where the hens could be around him until he healed, over one week. I let him out this morning and within 15 mins the hens were attacking his tail again and making him bleed. Any suggestions?

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is the rooster, and is he new to your flock? Has he been behaving oddly, limping, acting sick, or is he low in pecking order? Wyandottes, at least the ones I had were more aggressive to other chickens in my flock. But when a rooster is picked on, it is usually because he is not mature, is sick, or molting.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Same exact problem here.

My roo is separated but still in sight. He is currently healing. I think he is just to immature to control the hens.

 

[HilaryAkin]

How old is the rooster, and is he new to your flock? Has he been behaving oddly, limping, acting sick, or is he low in pecking order? Wyandottes, at least the ones I had were more aggressive to other chickens in my flock. But when a rooster is picked on, it is usually because he is not mature, is sick, or molting.

He’s the same age as my youngest hens (the ones that seem to be picking on him), 9 months. He’s been a phenomenal rooster, taking care of his girls and doesn’t seem sick. What would be some molting signs? Lost feathers? I will say those Wyandottes are a holes and first to start fights but my rooster and they were of the same group and in the middle of the ages I have

 

[HilaryAkin]

Same exact problem here.

My roo is separated but still in sight. He is currently healing. I think he is just to immature to control the hens.

What are you going to do? Keep him separated until he’s older? I just worry because the coop I have him in is super small but supposed to fit 8

 

[Eggcessive]

Are they running the cockerel off, or is he trying to hide from them? I am wondering if he is showing any signs of illness or weakness. You could separate the wyandottes temporarily, to see if the cockerel is still being picked on. In my first flock, my lead cockerel started getting picked on, and even the bantam pullets were running him into a nest box to hide. He obviously had something wrong with him, although he had been their leader since he was very young. We had to put him down unfortunately. So I would try to separate the aggressive one’s first, and observe the cockerel’s behavior. I had to rehome my beautiful golden and silver laced wyandotte hens because they were nasty to all of the other hens.

 

[HilaryAkin]

Are they running the cockerel off, or is he trying to hide from them? I am wondering if he is showing any signs of illness or weakness. You could separate the wyandottes temporarily, to see if the cockerel is still being picked on. In my first flock, my lead cockerel started getting picked on, and even the bantam pullets were running him into a nest box to hide. He obviously had something wrong with him, although he had been their leader since he was very young. We had to put him down unfortunately. So I would try to separate the aggressive one’s first, and observe the cockerel’s behavior. I had to rehome my beautiful golden and silver laced wyandotte hens because they were nasty to all of the other hens.

That’s a good idea, I was thinking of separating them too to reset the pecking order but didn’t think of observing the rooster like that. My wyondotte sage always starts it and then the others seem to follow suit. She even gets the other hens to the point I’ve had to get several of them saddles. Maybe I should consider just getting rid of her. My red black laced Wyandotte’s happpen to be at the bottom of the pecking order.

He doesn’t even really try to get away or when he does, he just comes right back to them to get pecked. He doesn’t seem ill but definitely does not stand up for himself. He kind of just lets it happen.

 

[Akennedy]

I just posted the same problem. My rooster is around the same age as my hens… around a year and a half old. But he is new to the flock (been with them 3 months) He seems to do is job well. But I think the hens are just bullies. And there are 19 hens. Maybe there’s too many hens for him. I don’t know

 

[HilaryAkin]

I just posted the same problem. My rooster is around the same age as my hens… around a year and a half old. But he is new to the flock (been with them 3 months) He seems to do is job well. But I think the hens are just bullies. And there are 19 hens. Maybe there’s too many hens for him. I don’t know

That might be too many hens. I’ve heard 1 rooster per 10 hens, but I’m fairly new at this.

I had my rooster heal for a week and let him back out. He seemed to get away better and sometimes started his little rooster dance when they got too close or they pecked him. Unfortunately, he was still getting pecked. I noticed an instigator hen since the beginning and so yesterday I segregated her but in sight of the others. I’ll keep her in there a week and see if that helps fix the problem with her. In the meantime, I will see if any others peck him.

 

[Akennedy]

That might be too many hens. I’ve heard 1 rooster per 10 hens, but I’m fairly new at this.

I had my rooster heal for a week and let him back out. He seemed to get away better and sometimes started his little rooster dance when they got too close or they pecked him. Unfortunately, he was still getting pecked. I noticed an instigator hen since the beginning and so yesterday I segregated her but in sight of the others. I’ll keep her in there a week and see if that helps fix the problem with her. In the meantime, I will see if any others peck him.

I think I’ve heard that too… 10 hens per rooster.