How rough is too rough?!

[YelleBean]

We have 14 ladies and 2 roosters. Our roos are about 15 weeks and one of them in particular is very rough and downright harasses our older girls (20 weeks old). They run from him and when he gets on top of one, they scream and normally if the one can’t get away, one or two others will peck him and run him off.

how rough is too rough basically? I’m newer to this and honestly, I feel like having a rooster is more trouble than it’s worth because I’m always having to keep an eye on him, especially in the evenings. Our girls tend to look around and really watch for him because I feel like they’re scared he will appear at any moment and he’s incessant. I know he’s young so I’m trying to be patient. I also don’t want them to be stressed because of him.
Our other roo who is a light brahma is a lot of pushy and has only tried to mate with the younger girls, but he’s not as rough.

I also know roos normally have a courting ritual I guess you’d say, but I’ve never seen that with Henry (our Easter egger roo) and he just pounces and chases them over and over again. Will this change or do I have a bad too?

what should I do? I know things can really look rough. I know he’s young. Am I overreacting?

 

[Chickpick]

Hello, I purchased chickens two years ago and ended up with 2 roosters to ten hens. One of the roosters was very aggressive and mean, the other was pretty mild mannered. The aggressive male was a Road Island Red. I was to the end of my rope because the hens were so tore up and scared they would hide and not come out of the hen house all day. I came home from shopping one afternoon and noticed the red rooster was gone. I looked all over and found only a pile of red feathers so I'm thinking a fox got him. I've noticed my hens aren't scared anymore and don't hide at all from the other rooster. They follow him all over the yard. Based on my own experience I'm guessing you have one too many roosters for how many hens you have. One of my hens just hatched two babies and I'm hoping they are both hens but I just went and purchased a bunch more baby hens just in case to avoid the same problem again.

 

[Sablehaven]

Not over reacting. He *may* mellow out, but it doesn't sound like it.

For me, if a rooster causes more than a little brief squawking, they go. I'd get rid of the rude one, they just aren't worth it.

Furthermore, a rough rooster who has competition can get nasty... one of my hens lost an eye because I procrastinated getting rid of an extra. Odin is happy and thriving, but I still feel terrible.

My second rooster was just like your nicer one: pushy but not too tough, and he mellowed into an absolute gentleman. Funny enough, he was also a brahma : )

Good luck with your roosters!

 

[aart]

what should I do? I know things can really look rough. I know he’s young. Am I overreacting?

No, get rid of him.
Or at least separate him and see how the other male behaves after a week or so.

 

[LostBoi73]

Unhappily id have to say if a cock is damaging your chickens because it is being rough then you have a responsibility to the others in your flock to at least segrigate him till he improves his manners or get rid

 

[YelleBean]

Hello, I purchased chickens two years ago and ended up with 2 roosters to ten hens. One of the roosters was very aggressive and mean, the other was pretty mild mannered. The aggressive male was a Road Island Red. I was to the end of my rope because the hens were so tore up and scared they would hide and not come out of the hen house all day. I came home from shopping one afternoon and noticed the red rooster was gone. I looked all over and found only a pile of red feathers so I'm thinking a fox got him. I've noticed my hens aren't scared anymore and don't hide at all from the other rooster. They follow him all over the yard. Based on my own experience I'm guessing you have one too many roosters for how many hens you have. One of my hens just hatched two babies and I'm hoping they are both hens but I just went and purchased a bunch more baby hens just in case to avoid the same problem again.

Thanks for the reply! Yes, we thought about that and are getting more ladies, but Meatball (our big Brahma) is the one all the smaller girls follow and no one really seems frightened of him and I have really only seen him try to mate once or twice. It seems so strange Henry is so aggressive! Thank you so much for the advice!

 

[YelleBean]

Not over reacting. He *may* mellow out, but it doesn't sound like it.

For me, if a rooster causes more than a little brief squawking, they go. I'd get rid of the rude one, they just aren't worth it.

Furthermore, a rough rooster who has competition can get nasty... one of my hens lost an eye because I procrastinated getting rid of an extra. Odin is happy and thriving, but I still feel terrible.

My second rooster was just like your nicer one: pushy but not too tough, and he mellowed into an absolute gentleman. Funny enough, he was also a brahma : )

Good luck with your roosters!

Thanks so much! Yes, that’s my thoughts! Right now, we’ve gone ahead and segregated him where he can see everyone but can’t get to them with his food and water and already our girls seem so much more relaxed!

 

[YelleBean]

No, get rid of him.
Or at least separate him and see how the other male behaves after a week or so.

Will do! We’ve moved him to his own area where he can see them and they can see him but he can’t get to them and they already seem less stressed.

 

[YelleBean]

Unhappily id have to say if a cock is damaging your chickens because it is being rough then you have a responsibility to the others in your flock to at least segrigate him till he improves his manners or get rid

Right. We’re noticing on Dolly (our salmon favarelle) that she’s missing a big spot of feathers at her tail because he keeps going after her so aggressively and never once have I seen him be a gentlemen about it. Separated for now and seeing how it goes!

 

[LostBoi73]

Right. We’re noticing on Dolly (our salmon favarelle) that she’s missing a big spot of feathers at her tail because he keeps going after her so aggressively and never once have I seen him be a gentlemen about it. Separated for now and seeing how it goes!

Believe it or not I'm vegetarian. But to me in the strictest sense of that or my ethos ( first started vegetarian due to health but not eating or harming animals has become equally important to me) is to keep a population of any animal or even area ecology in good health somtimes you have to cull. Its not nice and shouldnt be done lightly but for the health, safety ,happiness & wellbeing of the others the hard decisions have to be made in order for the rest to flourish, in the wild his behavior would not be tolerated. They would leave him, especially as he dosnt even seem to be a protector or provider for the flock.