My rooster is prejudiced. Help!

[gointothebirdsfarm]

So I have a hen who I introduced to the flock a few weeks ago. I have never seen my rooster display such obnoxious behavior before. He will not let her near the food, and will actually prance back and forth to make sure she doesn't come near it. If she gets too close, beware, because he will go into full fighting mode and chase her. The other hens don't seem to have as much of a problem with her, other than the usual dominance squabbles. This had never happened...it was always the hens who had problems with the newcomers, not the rooster! Should I get rid of the rooster? Or will it iron out eventually? I promise you she isn't starving: I feed her when I pen the rooster up at night or put a separate bowl where the rooster cant see her. Any ideas why he is so obnoxious to her?

 

[chickenlittle21]

Maybe he feels that she is threatening his dominance for some reason

 

[gointothebirdsfarm]

How? I'm just genuinely curious...she's just a normal hen.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Did you just put her in with the flock straight away, or did you integrate gradually?

 

[chickenlittle21]

This link might be helpful:

https://www-chickenwhisperermagazin...nt/keep-your-rooster-from-harassing-your-hens

 

[chickenlittle21]

https://animals.mom.me/keeping-my-rooster-from-hurting-the-hens-12608136.html

 

[gointothebirdsfarm]

This one we did. They are free range, so she has plenty of room to run (thank God!) However, I've found it interesting that she sometimes roosts with him at night! I just put two others in with him and he accepts them...

 

[gointothebirdsfarm]

Thanks for those links. I'll definitely check them out.

 

[aart]

This one we did. They are free range, so she has plenty of room to run (thank God!) However, I've found it interesting that she sometimes roosts with him at night! I just put two others in with him and he accepts them...

That is odd.
Has she submitted to him?
If not, that may be the problem.
I assume these birds are over one year old?
And now you've added two more?

 

[gointothebirdsfarm]

That is odd.
Has she submitted to him?
If not, that may be the problem.
I assume these birds are over one year old?
And now you've added two more?

It is rather impossible for her to submit to him because he spends all of his time around her (except on the roost chasing her away from him. Yes as far as I know they are over a year old. I have added two more, and he seems to accept them. We tend to have problems with predators since they are free-range, and since my hens are free to live on our property till they die, I like to keep my numbers up in the henhouse.