Mean little cockerel

[JoleaRN]

I have a 4 week old silver laced Wyandotte cockerel that ive kept separated with a black Australorp (female, I believe) because those two have been bullied by my older chicks (who are 6 weeks). I’ve tried integrating this little cockerel and Australorp with the more gentle hens but he bullies them and guards the food so they can’t eat. For a 4 week old, he’s very obnoxious and hard to handle by me. He’s only getting worse with age and I don’t see him mellowing out based on this trajectory. His confidence is building the bigger he gets and I’m trying to figure out what to do. Do you have suggestions? I’m wondering if letting Mother Nature take its course is best, as in let him get bullied by the bigger ones (some of which are roosters). Can someone please let me know if this Australorp is a female (4 wks)? Thank you kindly for your input!

P.S. I do plan to rehome all my little Roos. I have one resident adult rooster already.

 

[azygous]

You are permitted to cull such a chick.

There is this alternative, though. It has been known to tame such a tyrant by putting him in with adult chickens for a lesson in humility. Warning, it may be brutal to watch him get kicked around a bit, but it can work to tone down the aggressive behavior.

You have nothing to lose by trying it.

 

[JoleaRN]

You are permitted to cull such a chick.

There is this alternative, though. It has been known to tame such a tyrant by putting him in with adult chickens for a lesson in humility. Warning, it may be brutal to watch him get kicked around a bit, but it can work to tone down the aggressive behavior.

You have nothing to lose by trying it.

Oh my gosh, thank you for responding. My adults would kill him. I have zero doubt. But you’re right, that might be the best course. I’m really torn but I‘ve never seen such a mean little roo before.

 

[azygous]

I adore all my chickens and especially baby chicks. But a few times over the years I've had such a terrible boy chick. One was so precocious he was crowing a squeaky crow at age six weeks and mounting his brooder mates, when he wasn't brutally attacking them. It wasn't easy making the decision to cull him, but I got over it.

Personality and temperament absolutely do manifest in baby chicks. A tyrant at six weeks will be a horrible tyrant at age one year and so on. I would never rehome such a chicken and pass the problem onto someone else.

 

[JoleaRN]

I adore all my chickens and especially baby chicks. But a few times over the years I've had such a terrible boy chick. One was so precocious he was crowing a squeaky crow at age six weeks and mounting his brooder mates, when he wasn't brutally attacking them. It wasn't easy making the decision to cull him, but I got over it.

Personality and temperament absolutely do manifest in baby chicks. A tyrant at six weeks will be a horrible tyrant at age one year and so on. I would never rehome such a chicken and pass the problem onto someone else.

You are right. Thank you so very much. This makes it easier for me.