My rooster is very aggressive

[Brianna4]

I have had a flock for a while now and it seems all of a sudden when we go to feed them the rooster will get aggressive to the other hens and peck at them almost like he is trying to hurt them. Is this because they should be fed more? Or the weather changing? Any feedback would be extremely helpful.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

I have had a flock for a while now and it seems all of a sudden when we go to feed them the rooster will get aggressive to the other hens and peck at them almost like he is trying to hurt them. Is this because they should be fed more? Or the weather changing? Any feedback would be extremely helpful.

- Do you have food available all day? If not make sure they have plenty available so there is no squabbles over lack of food.
- Is rooster pecking them as in trying to mate them maybe? Usually rooster will call the hens he has found food /show them food (or when I bring out treats) then side shuffle dance or 'peck' them to squat and mate.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

I would suggest always letting your chickens have food available

 

[3KillerBs]

Here's another vote for having food always available.

If you do feed by a method where food is only offered in limited quantities at limited intervals you need to ensure that all birds can eat at the same time and that all birds get to eat their fill without dominant birds having the ability to guard what they see as a scarce resource.

 

[Mrs. K]

Sometimes there is kind of a wildness when you show up, cause you are bringing food. Often people even like that, cause they seem so happy to see you. But a person on here recommended to me, to fill the water first, or just stand around and wait before you add feed, instead of feeding that mob attitude.

I just freshen the water, walk around check things, go look for eggs, and then I give out the feed in two or three spots.

I think it might be that mob excitement and feeding frenzy that is upsetting your rooster.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

X3 on feed always available.

How old are these birds, in weeks or months?
Only one male?

 

[Mrs. K]

Be very careful of feed always available, can really lead to rodents. And a lot of spilled feed, that will rot and create a smell, besides an expensive waste.

I feed daily, do not have feed available 24/7. When I check at night, I want a nearly empty bowl. if it has a lot of feed in it, I feed less the next day. If it is bare, I feed a little more. And really there is quite a variance in the amount.

I do not have the behavior the original poster is stating. Just saying.

Mrs K

 

[3KillerBs]

Be very careful of feed always available, can really lead to rodents. And a lot of spilled feed, that will rot and create a smell, besides an expensive waste.

This shows how much situations and circumstances vary.

I've never had any evidence of rodents going after my feed and the only time I ever had any spilled-and-spoiled feed was when I had a feeder come apart on me as I carried it across my lawn. I was unable to salvage all of it from the grass and dirt and couldn't move a couple chickens into that area to do the salvage for me.

I had a feeder that would unscrew itself and get dumped when I had the in-town flock, but when that happened I would just let them clean it up off the ground and never had any issues.

Today I dumped about a quarter of a large scoop of feed on the ground when a chick jumped onto the side of the feeder as I was filling it. They promptly started to eat the feed on the ground first.

I'm sure that in a different environment with different soil conditions and a different management style that could indeed be completely different and that rodents and waste could be very serious problems.

No "one right method", for sure!

 

[WhySayWhat]

I have no use for a rooster. I keep my flock in a covered run that is secured. In my years of having chickens, I have had one issue with mice when I put a roost/branch too close to the feed and suddenly had mice eating all my feed!

When I got my current flock, they sent me a male by mistake. He was awful! He was beautiful, but he was loud...every leaf that fluttered was a "danger" that he had to yell at and then rush all the girls into the coop for. They were miserable too. While Stella (our cockerel) and I had an understanding and he avoided me, he had a particular hate for my 6 year old and would go after her every chance he got. The day before we finally found someone to come get him, he snuck up on her while she was squating next to me in the run. He went at her face with both feet and (thankfully) grabbed her glasses and threw them to the ground, giving her time to stand up before he came at her again with a full force attack! She had been trying to talk me into not getting rid of him until that happened, afterward she happily waved goodbye when the lady came to get him!

Unless you absolutely need him, I'd make him dinner.