I picked up an 11 week old Buff Orpington rooster with the idea of mating it with my Buff Rock hens almost the same age. He was a craigslist freebie just 10 minutes down the road, so I thought, sure.. why not.. would be nice to have a roo and someday have fertile eggs for hatching.
Well, I knew I was supposed to keep him separated and was on my way to the barn to see where in there I could keep him for a bit, but the door was closed.. So, I put him on the ground, open the door and then go to pick him back up.. but he runs away, heads right to the mature hens, whom then attacked the crap out of him and the even knocked me over as they caused me to trip as I quickly moved around to avoid stepping on or falling on the rooster whom was trying to get away from the vicious hens...
Anyway, so now these birds had contact.. I had him go to the other side away from the hens and waited for him to calm down before attempting to pick him up as he got pecky with me, but no the young hens come to see him, and he went to attack them.
I don't want him killing or hurting and injuring the little hens, and I don't want the mature hens hurting or killing him, so I'm gonna have to build him his own separate area to live in with his own run, etc.... BUT.. I want to mate him with 2 buff rocks once they reach laying age.. how do I do this without any injuries or death battles?
Or do they only fight upon introduction, and should I let it play out its natural course so they can establish pecking order? The hens never attacked the young pullets when they were introduced.
Also, I noticed one of his ears is bleeding
How do you keep roosters around if these fights happen?
Well, I knew I was supposed to keep him separated and was on my way to the barn to see where in there I could keep him for a bit, but the door was closed.. So, I put him on the ground, open the door and then go to pick him back up.. but he runs away, heads right to the mature hens, whom then attacked the crap out of him and the even knocked me over as they caused me to trip as I quickly moved around to avoid stepping on or falling on the rooster whom was trying to get away from the vicious hens...
Anyway, so now these birds had contact.. I had him go to the other side away from the hens and waited for him to calm down before attempting to pick him up as he got pecky with me, but no the young hens come to see him, and he went to attack them.
I don't want him killing or hurting and injuring the little hens, and I don't want the mature hens hurting or killing him, so I'm gonna have to build him his own separate area to live in with his own run, etc.... BUT.. I want to mate him with 2 buff rocks once they reach laying age.. how do I do this without any injuries or death battles?
Or do they only fight upon introduction, and should I let it play out its natural course so they can establish pecking order? The hens never attacked the young pullets when they were introduced.
Also, I noticed one of his ears is bleeding
How do you keep roosters around if these fights happen?
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