If you separate your rooster, give me some advise!

[leighks]

My 5 hens and rooster turned 1 in April. The rooster is overmating the hens and getting a little too protective of them, and I think I need to separate him for a while and give the girls a break. If you have separated your rooster, what did you do, and for how long?

My options are:
1. to give him a totally separate coop and run where he can’t even see the hens (but since he’s a flock animal that may not be good). Can’t put a hen with him since he would never give her a break!
2. Give him his own coop and run next to the girls where they share a fence but are kept separate. He would be less lonely maybe since he could be near them, but probably frustrated that he couldn’t get to them.
3. Separate him on and off so he still gets their company for a few days but then hens also get away from him for a few days.

I do want to keep him and would hope to reunite them, but this first spring and summer he’s just too full of hormones. I also would consider adding a few pullets to the flock, but that wouldn’t help my current hens for a while until the pullets were older.

Any advise is appreciated!

 

[snow5164]

I’ve placed my horny boy in the run beside the hens... he was stressed but ok because he could see them . I have 13 hens and 4 of them are a mess of broken feathers. Young Roosters seem to be very assertive, I hope ours slow down soon

 

[keesmom]

I'd put him in a separate run next to the hens.

 

[centrarchid]

I keep most of my roosters penned singly most of the year once adult. Most are provided a limited ration with free-choice access to water. I also try to provide continuous access to fresh grass. Pens I have are 4'x 5' and about 5' tall where roost pole is about 4' above the ground. The setup allows more controlled interactions between me and roosters so they can calm down. Some roosters are released almost daily for interaction time with me and the yard. Those are decidedly pets and often used for educational purposes.

 

[RWise]

I use bachelor pads (in site of the flock) for my extra roosters, any I raise (for breading) go in at 4 months and can be used on the flock at 1 YO (I like 2 YOs better)
I always have 1 rooster with the flock,,,

 

[leighks]

I use bachelor pads (in site of the flock) for my extra roosters, any I raise (for breading) go in at 4 months and can be used on the flock at 1 YO (I like 2 YOs better)
I always have 1 rooster with the flock,,,

Do they settle down finally at 2 years old??

 

[RWise]

IF they are going to, they will, not all make good roosters, but by 2 YO they are fully grown up and no more teenage attitude.

 

[leighks]

IF they are going to, they will, not all make good roosters, but by 2 YO they are fully grown up and no more teenage attitude.

I’m glad to hear there is hope for my overzealous boy!

 

[leighks]

Update: the rooster has been separated from the hens for a week now. I was able to split the run with fencing and they have separate fenced grass yards to be in, all of which the rooster can see the hens alot of the times. BUT- the rooster goes to his own separate mini coop at night. He hates it. He makes a weird cry when the hens go in for the night, he almost sounds like a quacking duck. I’m a softie, so to me it sounds sad, like he’s lonely.

He clearly misses being with the girls- he paces when he can’t see them, and he hardly eats or drinks (little to no poop overnight). I’ve been hand feeding him the last 2 days so he will eat something. Behavior wise he hasn’t shown the least bit of human aggression since he’s been separated, which I was seeing some of when all were together. I don’t think he’s sick, I think he’s stressed.

For others who have separated their roosters, is this “mourning period” normal, and any guesses how long it will last? I second guess my choice daily, but it’s nice for the hens not to get violated multiple times a day and since some are molting, it will be nice to see the bare spots get filled with feathers.

 

[snow5164]

My boy has been separated for almost a week , he’s loosing feathers even his beautiful tail feathers . We are getting our vet to fix him , remove his testacles. I know it’s risky but under sedation at the clinic he has the best chance , otherwise we were going to cull him. Maybe if there were 2 or 3 roosters it works , but it’s obvious to me on alone is not a good life for mine.