My hens seem happier now that Sir Rose, the rooster is dead....

[ella&clara]

Sir Rose was eaten by a bobcat (my husband saw the tracks) a couple of weeks ago. He continued to fly out of the pen despite two wing trimmings. We are sad (but don't miss the crowing!) and don't plan to replace him unless one of the baby chicks I have now turns out to be a rooster. But my hens seem so happy!! He wasn't a mean rooster, I don't think--he did his business but none of them had bald spots or seemed to be abused. He did take a strong dislike to one hen who was sick and later died, but my husband says that's because he knew she was sick and wanted to eliminate her. He also was rough on the other one who looked like her--another Barred Rock--and I thought she was going to end up dying too because she never came off the nest (not broody, not laying eggs, just hiding.) Now that he's gone she's back to laying and back to being a leader of the flock. Her comb is red, she's plump, and SOOO happy and confident. So what do you more experienced chicken-keepers think of this? They always had plenty of room, green grass, etc. (I had 7 chickens in a 180 ft perimeter electronet fence that I moved, along with a chicken tractor, regularly.) Is this normal behavior? Does he seem unusually mean? Maybe it's because they enjoyed 3 years of rooster-less bliss before he arrived Any ideas on avoiding this if I end up with another rooster?

 

[azygous]

Your hens have spoken. They thought the rooster was a jerk and are obviously relieved he's gone.

It doesn't mean that all roosters are jerks or that another rooster coming into your flock would be the same as Sir Rose. Just as all people are different, so are roosters and hens' attitudes toward them.