My rooster is a chicken! (Wuss!!)

[only1kristenl]

So I have 10 hens and one Rooster (an easter egger, he's really really handsome). 6 hens were hatched first week of april, and went into the coop at 5 weeks. I then got two EE chicks (one turned out to be a Roo) and 3 GL chicks (GL's are a week younger than EE's) I added the two EE's to the coop, than two weeks later added the GL's. The GL's and EE's act like a completely different flock from the original 6 hens (two buff brahma's, two Buff Orps one Red Sex Link and one SL Wyn) and they don't mix which I thought would happen until they all got to be the same size and figured out the pecking order.

The most concerning thing is my big handsome rooster is a baby. He's terrified of all the other hens except the one EE hen (they are like the cutest pair, they are always together!) I want to keep a rooster to keep the girls in line when they free range and I just think they are handsome and a wonderful addition (as long as they aren't aggressive) Fawkes (my roo) litterally hides in a nesting box when the other hens come into the coop. He's terrified of me, or his shadow. He wont go out into the run he stays in the coop or the ramp to the run, and he'll be ****** if he actually steps outside on the grass. He almost acts scared of the ground.

Will this pass once he comes of age? I have already seen him mount his EE hen, but only her so I figure he's got some hormones running. Any suggestions to boost his confidence and help him become boss of the flock? Also, the other hens kinda treat me like their "rooster" I hand raised them all, and they are very sweet, and when I go to pet them they always "present" (squatting, shoulders up ect) Should I lessen my presence in the coop? Or just stop petting them?

This is my first year with chickens, so any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[sumi]

A rooster's job is to ensure fertile eggs and look after his ladies. Not be scared of them.

 

[Gofygure]

I've seen a very similar scenario play out with my birds. I integrated some Speckled Sussex with my sex-link hens, and for weeks the Sussex roosters were terrified of the older girls. They got bullied relentlessly. Eventually, however, they gained the advantage of size and persistent hormones, and now the hens respect them enough to let them do their business. I'd say give it time and your roo will figure out what to do. He's still young and he doesn't have any other roosters to learn from.