New flock, mean rooster

[Chickassan]

That rooster is rotten and isn't going to change. You don't need him, get the hang of things and maybe later get a rooster you actually like or be roosterless.The girls would just rather be without than to have a stinker.Pack his bags and send him on his way.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed. Roosters are totally optional, and I would never recommend one unless it's important to you to hatch your own eggs from your own flock. As for your coop and run being predator proof: If you have a 2" opening, that is not weasel proof. Mr. Weasel can squeeze through any opening you could push a quarter through. And, he will come in and kill your entire flock just for the thrill of the kill. I would introduce that roo to your crock pot. Then you can enjoy your hens without all of the roo drama.

 

[Diannastarr]

Hello to all from WV. I'm new to the site and new to raising chickens. I've recently rescued a small flock of birds, 4 hens and 1 hateful rooster. I now have them housed in a proper coop and spacious run, but every time the birds are together the rooster goes nuts. Attacking the girls - scratching, pulling feathers, other violent rooster duties. The girls don't even want to go back in the coop at this point. Just wondering if there are any options to make him more tolerable or if I should just try to re-home him. Thanks in advance for your help!

yes you have a bad egg as it were HA he is a bad boy, you hens dont need his craziness so yeah he needs to go...! but at that point who would want him..? hmmmm..???

 

[keesmom]

From what I've seen you just don't get that much predator protection from a rooster.

This has been my experience as well. Roosters can't do squat against nighttime predators. A rooster may provide an early warning for birds of prey, though I have found my hens to be equally vigilant for them.

A rooster doesn't stand a chance against the larger predators even during the day. Lost my first flock to a mother fox. She went through all 6, one right after the other. The other time coyotes wiped out my entire free range flock, 2 roosters included. Nothing left but 15 piles of feathers and one partially eaten carcass.

I keep roosters for fertile eggs and eye candy only. I don't rely on them for protection.

It sounds like yours is making the hens' lives miserable as well as yours. He needs to go.

 

[priscillaJ]

My chickens are all about 5 months and 1 turned out to be a rooster. I bought pullets. My americauna flies up to my shoulder to get away from the rooster and now I am her protection. She can't go out in the yard with out him making a bee line to roughly jump on her, and another hen also started pecking/attacking her,which seemed related to the fact that she was 'tight' with the rooster and he picked on her, so she would too. When the rooster is separate from the group the girls (10) all get along. Rooster is going asap. I have no need for him. My little hen looks to me for taking care of her and I won't throw her under the bus and give her to the rooster!! My husband just says 'It's what chickens do'. All the other hens get along with him but I am choosing the little americauna's side in this. The rooster has nothing to offer in the deal....no eggs, nothing! I am a first time chicken owner and I got chickens for enjoyment and eggs. So far they are surviving ME as a new owner and made it through hot spells, a sprained leg and mild dehydration in 1 hen. The girls have about 2 acres to run around, plus cows all over the place on the other few acres. And, I wanted to feed them 'healthy' but they follow after the cows, know what I mean?? haha. Oh well.

 

[Mrs. K]

That is natural feed pattern!

Really roosters take a bit of experience. Try this hobby a bit at time. Just do the hens this year, IMO roosters raised with just flock mates tend to be bullies, and may become human aggressive. Just cull him, and maybe in a year or two, you might want to try again. A bit of experience under your belt is a good idea before your try roosters.

 

[Peeps61]

That is natural feed pattern!

Really roosters take a bit of experience. Try this hobby a bit at time. Just do the hens this year, IMO roosters raised with just flock mates tend to be bullies, and may become human aggressive. Just cull him, and maybe in a year or two, you might want to try again. A bit of experience under your belt is a good idea before your try roosters.

Mrs. K. has given great advice! If you have a multi-generational flock, the older hens will let the younger cockerels know their place - rock bottom. They will eventually accept a younger rooster, but he has to learn his manners and lessons first. This has been the case with mine, anyway. My older rooster was a year old in July, and he's great. The younger rooster, his son, turned 5 months old this month, and has just started to crow and show interest in the younger laying pullets. The older hens smack him around too much .