New please help?

[Shadyangel2003]

Hello, quick story, I'm super new to chickens as in this last summer, was handed two hens because owner didn't want them in their flock. Then a month or so one ago something got one so I desperately searched so she wouldn't be alone or cold and saw someone was getting rid of a rooster, so desperately I took him in.

Now to the help part, I was hand feeding the hen and the rooster just came up behind her and pecked ripping out feathers. Is this normal??? (She is 2yrs old from what I was told and the rooster is 9 months)

 

[TOMTE]

Welcome to BYC!!

At 9 months old, your boy is a cockerel, not quite a rooster. It's the hormonal idiot phase. If you have a cockerel or rooster, it's very important to learn how to speak and understand rooster. This is an excellent article that I keep coming back to, because I really want a rooster someday!

Understanding Your Rooster by Shadrach

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Hello, quick story, I'm super new to chickens as in this last summer, was handed two hens because owner didn't want them in their flock. Then a month or so one ago something got one so I desperately searched so she wouldn't be alone or cold and saw someone was getting rid of a rooster, so desperately I took him in.

Now to the help part, I was hand feeding the hen and the rooster just came up behind her and pecked ripping out feathers. Is this normal??? (She is 2yrs old from what I was told and the rooster is 9 months)

a little aggressive, but some breeds like RIR do this as a show of dominance/ a way to claim their mate. you said you were feeding her? he might think you are a rival roo.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I was hand feeding the hen and the rooster just came up behind her and pecked ripping out feathers. Is this normal??? (She is 2yrs old from what I was told and the rooster is 9 months)

Cockerels mature at different rates. At some point, if there is a mature hen in the flock, he will try to take control of the flock and be the dominant chicken. Yours is a little unusual in that it is a two-chicken flock but this might be what is going on. I've seen a 5-month-old cockerel do this, I've has some wait until about a year old to try so yours is in that range.

He could be trying to mate. In a part of the mating act the male grabs the back of the hen's head, usually feathers. Sometimes he may mount first, grab the back of the head first, or kind of blend the moves. The head grab instinctively tells the hen to raise her tail feathers up out of the way so he can hit the target. It is instinctive for him to grab, it is instinctive for her to raise her tail. Without the head grab there would be no fertile eggs.

Sometimes the hen resists. If he has a hold on the back of her head he can better control her. The mating act is an act of dominance. The one on top is dominating the one on the bottom. Sometimes this is voluntarily, sometimes it is by force.

Sometimes if she will not accept his dominance, he essentially beats her into submission. They may fight. Sometimes the hen wins, sometimes the male wins. If she does not accept his dominance after he wins she may continue to resist, often by running away. He may continue to attack her at random times until she submits. Or she may continue to attack him until he submits. If he loses, often he will start the cycle over after he matures some more. The male typically wins in the end but it may take a while to get there.

I don't know what is going on with your two. I typically do not interfere unless I see blood or one is injured. It can be pretty violent so injury is possible or they may work it out pretty quickly and be best buddies.

Good luck! It can certainly be hard to watch or it may soon be over.

 

[Shadyangel2003]

I wasn't sure if maybe he did it because I was hand feeding her (I just got him) and he won't eat out of my hand.

I just don't want her to be stressed if it's just picking on her to be mean as getting him was more so she wouldn't be lonely and kind of a protection from possible predators.

Is there a point when I would remove him away from her before seeing blood as a sign?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I would not. I'm still not sure what is going on but if it is a dominance dispute one has to be the dominant one. Sometimes determining that is really peaceful, sometimes it can be violent. Any time there is violence there is a risk, I understand that. You don't get guarantees with living animals.

In your situation I'd try to find two more hens. Make sure they are old enough to be laying eggs. You will still need to integrate them but that would give you the opportunity to get rid of that boy if you really want to. With at least three chickens if you lose one they will still have a buddy so you'll feel less pressure to take one quickly.

 

[Shadyangel2003]

Yea now that is kind of the plan, just been hard with timing. (Not necessarily get rid of him unless he gets really out of hand). So wouldn't recommend any younger hens than her? (So would it then be a bad idea to get chick's to add once they are old enough to be outside?)

 

[Dreamers Nook]

Yea now that is kind of the plan, just been hard with timing. (Not necessarily get rid of him unless he gets really out of hand). So wouldn't recommend any younger hens than her? (So would it then be a bad idea to get chick's to add once they are old enough to be outside?)

I would definitely get a couple more hens if possible to prevent over breeding. Each flock and bird is different, as well as breeds (some breeds require more hen to roo ratio) but usually males need several hens so the one doesn't get over used and abused.

 

[Shadyangel2003]

I would definitely get a couple more hens if possible to prevent over breeding. Each flock and bird is different, as well as breeds (some breeds require more hen to roo ratio) but usually males need several hens so the one doesn't get over used and abused.

So from what I understand you have to separate when adding new hens.. (for future reference) would that be the same if it's just like this situation where it's one boy and one girl?

I'm not sure how to do it with my set up

 

[Shadyangel2003]

Cockerels mature at different rates. At some point, if there is a mature hen in the flock, he will try to take control of the flock and be the dominant chicken. Yours is a little unusual in that it is a two-chicken flock but this might be what is going on. I've seen a 5-month-old cockerel do this, I've has some wait until about a year old to try so yours is in that range.

He could be trying to mate. In a part of the mating act the male grabs the back of the hen's head, usually feathers. Sometimes he may mount first, grab the back of the head first, or kind of blend the moves. The head grab instinctively tells the hen to raise her tail feathers up out of the way so he can hit the target. It is instinctive for him to grab, it is instinctive for her to raise her tail. Without the head grab there would be no fertile eggs.

Sometimes the hen resists. If he has a hold on the back of her head he can better control her. The mating act is an act of dominance. The one on top is dominating the one on the bottom. Sometimes this is voluntarily, sometimes it is by force.

Sometimes if she will not accept his dominance, he essentially beats her into submission. They may fight. Sometimes the hen wins, sometimes the male wins. If she does not accept his dominance after he wins she may continue to resist, often by running away. He may continue to attack her at random times until she submits. Or she may continue to attack him until he submits. If he loses, often he will start the cycle over after he matures some more. The male typically wins in the end but it may take a while to get there.

I don't know what is going on with your two. I typically do not interfere unless I see blood or one is injured. It can be pretty violent so injury is possible or they may work it out pretty quickly and be best buddies.

Good luck! It can certainly be hard to watch or it may soon be over.

With it being a situation of such a small group, is the long integration process still necessary? (I posted pictures of the set up I have)