Mean 7 week old boy

[CaityKitola]

So, my two chicks are now 7 weeks old and have graduated to a coop... But the one you all voted was male is getting mean to our little girl chick, Fiona. He flaps at her, chases her, and raises his hackles at my husband when he tries to intervene. Fiona is scared of this and will rush out of the coop when we open it while he's being mean.

We're doing what we can to break the behavior, because she really loves having her companion... He's just getting so mean to her. He never did this in the brooder. Is this just going to get worse?

If we have to give him up, what should we do for our little miss?

 

[lazy gardener]

Just the 2 birds? I suggest that you get rid of the little jerk and get 2 flock mates for her. (Pullets!)

 

[CaityKitola]

Just the 2 birds? I suggest that you get rid of the little jerk and get 2 flock mates for her. (Pullets!)

We're really hoping we won't have to get rid of him, since I raised him from an egg. And he can be really sweet with us, too. I'm just confused why he's suddenly being such a butt munch.

 

[sourland]

It's all about the testosterone. One cockerel and one pullet is very likely not going to work.

 

[sbhkma]

If he's already acting like such a jerk, it is only going to get worse. I agree-dump the cockerel and get a couple more pullets for Fiona to buddy up with.

 

[lazy gardener]

If it was merely human aggression, you might stand a chance of fixing that with some dominance training. But, He's terrorizing his flock mate. That's not something you are likely to fix. And as you only have the one. He will be focusing all of his aggression on her. It will continue to escalate, and a cockerel who does not have older birds to school him in correct flock ettiquette can become a killer.

 

[CaityKitola]

Ugh... Well, we'll check with our vet as well. If we were to get a few friends for Fiona, what age would be best? I don't want to stay over with the brooder, and she's probably too young to figure out how to cuddle them for their warmth. But I want them to get along.

 

[aart]

It's all about the testosterone.

Even at 7 weeks?

 

[chickens really]

Sounds like pecking order of young juvenile Birds. The Cockerel is strutting his stuff. Get more Pullets. Wait and see if he settles down with more Pullets.

 

[sourland]

Even at 7 weeks?

I've had bantam roosters crowing at 4 or 5 weeks and attempting to mate shortly thereafter. Didn't run T tests on them so it is indeed an assumption on my part.

Edited to add : I have never had one become human aggressive at that age, so maybe he is just a nutjob.