Nervous for my hens...I have a maturing Roo...

[Starby]

Well, as newbies to the world of chickens, I have a few concerns. We started with four baby chicks and here we are about 12 weeks later and we have ourselves one big Black Australorp that turned out to be a rooster, a Wyandotte, an Easter Egger and a bantam Cochin. My concern is...when the roo is ready to mate, which seems imminent, is he going to hurt my teeny little bantam? Do I need to separate them somehow?! ( I dont really have a way to do that but suppose I could figure out something.) I as a bit nervous when our "Princess Zelda" turned out to be a rooster but now I am quite attached and really hope we can work it all out to keep him but I realize there is a lot I do not know about keeping a roo!

Thank you for any insight, help, advice!

 

[Free Feather]

If you give him a few more hens, he probably will not pay her any attention. Most times big roosters try once or twice, then realize that she is just too little, if he can even catch her - bantams fly really well. If you have issues, separate her.

 

[Mrs. K]

Is the little child in your picture, your child? Often times inexperienced people do not recognize aggressive behavior signals until a rooster attacks. Generally they attack children or small women first. I would worry more about that.

I generally recommend just hens until you get some experience with a flock. You have years to have this hobby, you can add a rooster in the years to come.

Mrsk

 

[Free Feather]

I would give him a chance and see how it goes.

 

[aart]

Is the little child in your picture, your child? Often times inexperienced people do not recognize aggressive behavior signals until a rooster attacks. Generally they attack children or small women first. I would worry more about that.

I generally recommend just hens until you get some experience with a flock. You have years to have this hobby, you can add a rooster in the years to come.

Mrsk

X10^^^^^

Yet another story of the Reality meets the Romance of BYC keeping.
Folks think... Ah, lovely eggs and feathers....but dealing with males is often unpleasant in one respect or another, but it's part of the deal even if it was unanticipated.

1 large cockerel and 3 pullets(one of them a banty) is not going to be a pretty scene when his hormones start to rage.
Have a crate or separate enclosure ready to remove him, cause when it gets ugly, it happens fast, like right now fast, and you'll want him out of there immediately.

 

[keesmom]

Is the little child in your picture, your child? Often times inexperienced people do not recognize aggressive behavior signals until a rooster attacks. Generally they attack children or small women first. I would worry more about that.

I generally recommend just hens until you get some experience with a flock. You have years to have this hobby, you can add a rooster in the years to come.

Mrsk

Mrs K has given you some excellent advice.

 

[Starby]

Yes, the child is mine holding our bantam cochin. Yes, this is our first experience raising chickens which I guess makes us inexperienced. However, we did not just get chickens willy nilly. We have been doing our homework for over a year (before brining home baby chicks), my oldest is enrolled in a 4H program all about raising chickens, we have done a whole lot of reading and research in preparation for the experience so I hope to not give off the impression that we are just letting the kids run around holding them by their heads. I do not leave them unsupervised and we have spent a lot of time learning and teaching proper handling, etc. We have had a very hands on set up and our chicks, including the roo for now, are quite comfortable with us. Our roo is actually the friendliest of all and has yet to show aggressive behavior in any form. I know hormones could quickly change that.
I do understand that we were naiive in thinking we had luck on our side and would end up with 4 of the 4 we brought home being hens. I do get that there is a chance our rooster could turn aggressive and that is exactly why I thought I would come to the experts for advice. I greatly appreciate your input and sadly do believe we will need to rehome our beloved Roo. I really want to make an educated and responsible decision as to what we need to do with him as a lot of people in our somewhat rural area abandon their "hens turned rooster" on old farm properties and I think that is sad. So again, thank you all for your advice. We certainly need to figure out what to do before something happens.

 

[Mrs. K]

I hope I did not offend you, and I certainly did not mean to imply that you had not done your research. It is just that roosters can be tricky. It is so very unfortunate, but the traits that make us love them as chicks, can cause the problems when they grow up.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

I hope I did not offend you, and I certainly did not mean to imply that you had not done your research. It is just that roosters can be tricky. It is so very unfortunate, but the traits that make us love them as chicks, can cause the problems when they grow up.

Mrs K

Ditto........cockerels are often the 'nicest' chicks.

 

[Starby]

Oh goodness no! I did not intent to sound combative! In all honesty, I am just super sad about our Roo situation as I've been reading some horror stories My kiddos will be devasated if we have to rehome him but they'd surely be more devastated if he hurt someone. I agree they are tricky as I am finding out! He is a beautiful boy and I just hope to find him a good situation. Thank you for your input, I sincerely appreciate it! I love the info and experienced insight here at BYC!!!!