I want the pecking order to go back to how it used to be! Help!

[Brownix Hobby Farm]

We have 18 hens and 4 roosters, all just turned 1 year old. One roo, Tim, was managing the flock well, and he held his place proudly at the top of the pecking order. He seemed like a fair, patient, yet highly protective rooster. The flock seemed to be getting along just fine to me. Then, we took Tim and 2 other roosters to the local 4-H Fair for a week. Tim and the other 2 were in separate cages but all one next to another, so Tim spent the week right next to one particular rooster. Fast forward to returning home, the pecking order has sure changed. Tim is an outcast to the flock. The roo that was next to him at the 4H fair is now at the top and he is loud, boastful, irrational, and mean. There is no peace to the flock. Tim is chased out at every attempt to come near the flock. He doesn't even sleep on the roosting bars- we have found him in nesting boxes or on the ground, alone. My hens are bickering and biting, fighting and squeaking, when they didn't before. The hens also seem to have become territorial of themselves or specific other hens, maybe for protection against the mean roos and now the upset amongst hens? I don't like how my flock is now. What are my options to bring peace and order back to my flock?

 

[Breeze73]

Usually taking out the mean one for a time out will change the dynamics but it is possible you have to many roosters for that many hens. It’s usually approximately and this could differ between types of hens 10:1 on the hen rooster ratio. This has been my experience although considerably less than some on here I have been chicken tending for 3 years and I have had a lot of roosters.

 

[Pigeony]

Simple solution here: get rid of the mean rooster. In my opinion, there is no reason to tolerate a mean rooster. There's plenty of nice roosters out there, a mean rooster who is nothing but a net negative to the flock doesn't deserve to be rewarded for his behavior when so many nice roosters are culled and never get a flock of their own. If you don't like how the flock dynamics have changed, remove the source of the change.

 

[Yardmom]

When one rooster overtakes another the loosing rooster will stay back for a bit. it takes time, but the other boy is normally aloud to rejoin in a lower roll eventually. How much time and what roll will depend on personalities.

If you don't want to have the naturally dominant boy rule the flock, he will need to be permanently removed from the flock. The only exception that is likely to change this would be if the other rooster is submitting due to injury and fully recovers attitude included

 

[Brownix Hobby Farm]

Usually taking out the mean one for a time out will change the dynamics but it is possible you have to many roosters for that many hens. It’s usually approximately and this could differ between types of hens 10:1 on the hen rooster ratio. This has been my experience although considerably less than some on here I have been chicken tending for 3 years and I have had a lot of roosters.

Should the flock be able to see the roo in time out? Put him in a dog crate inside the run? Or completely separated? Then how long do you recommend the time out to be? And I do need to get rid of a roo, I just don't know where. I've tried. And I don't have the heart to...----

 

[Breeze73]

Should the flock be able to see the roo in time out? Put him in a dog crate inside the run? Or completely separated? Then how long do you recommend the time out to be? And I do need to get rid of a roo, I just don't know where. I've tried. And I don't have the heart to...----

We time out in a separate area sometimes for a week. As far as getting rid of the roo there are a number of options I am not sure where you are from but here in SC there is a farm who will take them locally people put them out on Craigslist for free if the are not wanting to cull them. It’s not my favorite thing to do but honestly a bad roo is not something you want to give anyone or keep. The good ones you want to keep for sure. And getting rid of the roo you are giving away with the possibility of knowing the person taking it may eat it.

 

[Pigeony]

Should the flock be able to see the roo in time out? Put him in a dog crate inside the run? Or completely separated? Then how long do you recommend the time out to be? And I do need to get rid of a roo, I just don't know where. I've tried. And I don't have the heart to...----

You could post him for free on Craigslist or local Facebook groups or similar. Give him to whoever wants him, and don't think too much about it. I know you raised these birds and are attached to them, but flock harmony should be first and foremost. Don't let jerk birds rule your or their lives just because you feel sorry for them.

 

[Breeze73]

Should the flock be able to see the roo in time out? Put him in a dog crate inside the run? Or completely separated? Then how long do you recommend the time out to be? And I do need to get rid of a roo, I just don't know where. I've tried. And I don't have the heart to...----

Also you can post them for free on byc as well but make sure people know his behavior

 

[Brownix Hobby Farm]

Thank you. I will separate him. When I return him to the flock, I should do it at night, correct?

 

[LaFleche]

We have 18 hens and 4 roosters, all just turned 1 year old. One roo, Tim, was managing the flock well, and he held his place proudly at the top of the pecking order. He seemed like a fair, patient, yet highly protective rooster. The flock seemed to be getting along just fine to me.

Rehome or cull the three other roosters and let peace return with Tim.