My Aseel hen keeps beating my new Aseel rooster

[Aayan Mirza]

Hahaha n

They will work it out but yikes that fella has a heck of a road to walk. I'm rooting for him.

Hahahaha, not more than me of course.

 

[varidgerunner]

An Asil hen has to be dominated by a cock bird. If they aren't up to the task, they don't get breeding privileges. Many times, it is a personal choice on her part. She might not ever let that particular rooster breed her. Sometimes they can get pretty particular once they hit about six or eight years old. If he was cowering in the corner, it sounds like he was either very young, or not an asil. She would pick up on either of these two things.

It's late in the season, not too likely she is going to lay a clutch at this point, so there is really no reason for her to be with any other birds. Put her in by herself, that is the way she will be happiest. Keep that rooster in his own pen until about February, and then put them together, bringing her to his pen works best. You can just put them together every two to three days when she starts to lay, as well. And, if you are worried about her being all alone, (which she probably prefers to being with other chickens) it is perfectly acceptable to have a house asil. Enjoy her.

 

[varidgerunner]

And don't leave them together in the hopes that they will learn to get along. She will kill him eventually, unless there is an awful lot of space for them. Seperating with wire can be the worst thing you can do. They will hurt themselves on the wire trying to get at each other. Sight proof barriers are the best way. If she can hear him, that is good enough, in terms of her becoming acclimated to him.

 

[varidgerunner]

As for missing feathers on your rooster, he should be missing feathers on his keel bone, on his throat and two patches on the sides of his neck and the points of his shoulders, even in full feather. This time of year, if he is a year old or more, he is probably in molt and missing feathers all over. They will grow back by about November, UNLESS you leave him with that hen. If you leave him with her, he will probably look pretty rough if he even survives. That could be his problem, some of mine will let a hen be pretty rough with them when they are growing new feathers. It's always best to separate. Asils are not other chickens. They don't need to be in a flock. They are perfectly happy by themselves.

 

[centrarchid]

I would like to see a picture of both the Aseel hen and Aseel rooster.

 

[Aayan Mirza]

As for missing feathers on your rooster, he should be missing feathers on his keel bone, on his throat and two patches on the sides of his neck and the points of his shoulders, even in full feather. This time of year, if he is a year old or more, he is probably in molt and missing feathers all over. They will grow back by about November, UNLESS you leave him with that hen. If you leave him with her, he will probably look pretty rough if he even survives. That could be his problem, some of mine will let a hen be pretty rough with them when they are growing new feathers. It's always best to separate. Asils are not other chickens. They don't need to be in a flock. They are perfectly happy by themselves.

Thank you so much. I think you are right. He might just be younger. Because he is Aseel, that much I know. I will just keep them separate for couple of months. Unfortunately the metal divider is all I have rightnow. But they can't hurt each other through it, not even insert their full head in it. So that might not be much of a problem. And thank you so much for comprehensive guide on the feathers thing, it has all been really helpful.

 

[Aayan Mirza]

I would like to see a picture of both the Aseel hen and Aseel rooster.

Sure. Here they are:
The Rooster:




The hen:

 

[centrarchid]

I would chalk it up to him not being mature. My hens are at peak willingness to being aggressive as coming into lay and immature stags still coming into feather are inconsistent on how they hold their ground. Once bullstags they cold their own well. Even cocks in molt are a bit off as almost all mine are now.

 

[varidgerunner]

When you put them together they need a bigger pen. You can by a roll of 2" by 4" wire 4' high, and two 8' 2"x4"s and and some poultry staples all for maybe fifty bucks. Cut boards to make a 4 foot square, make a hoop 4 feet tall and tack it to two sides and close in the ends. Stick a roost pole in and tie a tarp over it, throw in a bucket for her to nest in. That way they can hop up on the roost and get out of each other's way.

 

[varidgerunner]

I like five foot and six foot dome pens for housing a cock and hen together. You get into some of the bigger breeds and they need about 8 square feet of floor or the hen will never lay, if she does she will eat the eggs. Instinct tells her there is not a suitable nesting spot and this will make her grumpy.