JoeInPA
Songster
I have 5 chickens, 4 pullets and 1 rooster. They are now at 25-30 weeks of age and pretty much full grown. Still none laying eggs. The rooster has always been sort of at the top of the pecking order but mostly stays to himself. He's never been aggressive towards me or any other humans. But he is now getting to be a bit of bully to the other chickens. Its seems like he's worse in the morning but it getting worse throughout the day.
In the morning he won't let certain birds out of the coop and he has to be the first one to the feeder and won't let the others get to the feeder for a few minutes. Then occasionally he'll chase other birds around and occasionally give them a hard peck. Usually once a day or so I throw some scratch grains in the run as a treat and three of my hens usually come running as soon as I open the gate. I usually let them eat some out my hand. But recently he won't let one or all of them approach me. Then if I throw a few handfuls of grain into the run, he hogs it all and chases the others away if they try to eat it.
I really like how beautiful he is and he's not aggressive towards people, and I love his crowing (though my neighbors probably don't) but I'm wondering if he may need to go. This is my first year with chickens and I dont know enough about chicken behavior. What do you guys think?
This picture is a couple months old, he's a bit bigger now.
In the morning he won't let certain birds out of the coop and he has to be the first one to the feeder and won't let the others get to the feeder for a few minutes. Then occasionally he'll chase other birds around and occasionally give them a hard peck. Usually once a day or so I throw some scratch grains in the run as a treat and three of my hens usually come running as soon as I open the gate. I usually let them eat some out my hand. But recently he won't let one or all of them approach me. Then if I throw a few handfuls of grain into the run, he hogs it all and chases the others away if they try to eat it.
I really like how beautiful he is and he's not aggressive towards people, and I love his crowing (though my neighbors probably don't) but I'm wondering if he may need to go. This is my first year with chickens and I dont know enough about chicken behavior. What do you guys think?
This picture is a couple months old, he's a bit bigger now.