Is my rooster just mean?

[triciayoung]

Buddy is 2.5yrs old. He was about 6 months when I bought him. He's good around people and the 8wk old chicks when I let them out during the day. He's never had a problem with my big dogs or chased one of the grandkids. He's always been a well-mannered roo until now.

Then something spooked him. He is worth keeping.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Then something spooked him. He is worth keeping.

Spooked him into abusing a hen?

 

[ChicFil- A]

I've got a rooster (4 more but they are kept separated from the rest) and 5 hens. Buddy is a good boy to me and most of the hens. However, there is one hen that he is just straight up mean to!! When he heads in her direction she just lays down and waits for him but when he get near her, he grabs her neck and slings her around! He does his thing then slings her around some more. They are free range so she tries to stay away from him to the point that she was always alone. She's got to where she wouldn't sleep in the coup. After a week of this I tried letting one of the younger roosters out, hoping he'd take up with her. He did but now Buddy chases them both. We've been trying to give the roosters away but nobody seems to want roosters. My question is, is it normal for a rooster to chase a hen out of the flock?

Buddy would suddenly take a long nap, that is borderline cruel to let live stick harm one another, No it’s not normal and most breeders are instructed to cull those type behaviors in any poultry m… that’s caused by bad breeding, I’m sorry but it’s cruel. In my opinion!

 

[ChicFil- A]

Spooked him into abusing a hen?

absolutely… That’s horrible! bad breeding cull Buddy!!!

 

[ChicFil- A]

Spooked him into abusing a hen?

That rooster is a brute! the behavior you explained is so dangerous!!! He is a bad boy!

 

[LaFleche]

The only reason I’ve ever had a rooster try to chase off a hen was because she had lice and all the chickens knew it before I did… once that was taken care of he didn’t chase her off anymore.

I’d check your hen over well before making a decision but if you don’t find anything I would definitely get rid of Buddy!

I would rather tend to think she might have had lice because he did not let her dustbath and preen herself in peace.

 

[LaFleche]

No cockerel and even less a grown rooster of 2,5 years should ever abuse a hen like this.
In case a rooster does not like a hen he will ignore her and maybe even not mate with her, but abuse like the OP described would have me butcher him the same evening.

There is no excuse for abusing a willing to mate hen like this.

 

[NCchickentender]

Then something spooked him. He is worth keeping.

I don't think he was spooked. He is only mean to her

 

[NCchickentender]

I would rather tend to think she might have had lice because he did not let her dustbath and preen herself in peace.

I checked for bugs yesterday. She doesn't have anything that I can see.

 

[NCchickentender]

Here's what I did. Buddy was separated Sunday night and all the girls and Raleigh were put in the coop. The coop and the rooster's roost is about 30 feet apart. I have an electric door for the girls' coop. Monday morning I assumed they all came out. When I went out to start the morning chores, 4 of the hens were hanging right with Raleigh. Meanwhile, Buddy is NOT happy about this! I'm searching everywhere for Betty, the lil abused hen. I finally find her still in the coop. She looked terrified! Up on the top roost in the very darkest corner. She didn't even move when I opened the big door. At first I thought she was just tired from being chased off for so long and hadn't got any real rest. So I checked her for bugs, pet her for a minute, scratched her head and put her back on the perch. Then I started wondering if she was sick and that was why Buddy was chasing her away. As I was walking away from the coop to come here and start searching for answers, Buddy is still mad and letting me know it! It dawned on me! Betty can hear him right outside the coop!! She doesn't know he can't get her! So I went back and got her. I carried her to her safe spot near the chick run, set her down and she perked right up. The girls are starting to come back together. Betty wondered off a few times and Raleigh did his best to keep them all together. She was the only one I had to put up at bedtime. Buddy and another young roo were caught and taken to their new home a few miles away. This morning Betty didn't come out with the others but she was standing in one of the nests. I shewed her out the door. She stood on the ramp and looked at the roosters roost. I had to shew her passed it but she seems to be doing much better today. They're all hanging out in the same general area now. Thanks for everyone's advice. It really helped a lot