New Roo gets along with the girls... except one!

[Oldschool]

Got a donated beautiful adult Sumatra roo and he gets along with all my hens (5 Delaware, 6 B. Orps) except one Del whom he attacks until she is coops herself up and is afraid to come out. This Del is not the smallest of the flock and has always been the first to come to me, hang and hunt while I rake inside the run, would jump on my arm and hang, and seemed to get along as she is not low in the pecking order... at least as far as I can tell. She was also the first to challenge him when I introduced him into the flock. She beat up on him, but he came back bested her and she capitulated, but he has not stopped there.

I saw her being chased by Charlie Chan (the roo) yesterday and threw herself on the ground and spread her wings, he jumped on her, lots of squawking, and then another Delaware pecked him off of her. Another chicken behavour mystery to me. I have "stepped into the ring" and interfered by showing Charlie that I'm the Head Roo by cornering him, but when I turn my back...

She's been my fav, so I have a soft spot for this little hen that kept running up to my hand at the feed store where I got them. Any suggestion? Will they work it out?

 

[LindseyM12]

I had a the EXACT same thing happen to me. My rooster was fine around everyone except for my favorite hen. She wanted to be top of the pecking order so she tried to beat him. He was so mean to my hen... he even spurred her. I finally had to get rid of him....

 

[teach1rusl]

Well, as tough as it is, I'd try to give it a little more time. It sounds like, although your hen may not like him, she was submitting to him (the low on the ground w/wings spread is assuming the position basically). Is he hurting her (bloodying her comb or yanking out a bunch of feathers)? If not, then that's a good sign.
The problem may be if she never does accept him. Had a similar experience with the first roo I tried. My favorite little quirky EE would run to me to get away from him...would jump up onto my arm, and had taken to staying inside the coop when I'd let them out in the mornings. He would wait and watch for her, and would zoom right toward her as soon as she'd finally dart out. I probably could have waited a bit longer to see whether things would work out, but in the mean time he'd bloodied my BO's comb. Well - and my little EE was losing some back feathers. So he had to go. Our next try with a roo was successful; they all accepted him with no problems.
Chicken chemistry definitely comes into play, at least with some chickens. Hopefully, she'll learn to accept him. If that doesn't happen, you'll have a choice to make. If it comes to that, and he's good with all of the others, the one girl may benefit from a rehoming...

 

[Mak]

It sounds to me (her squatting and spreading wings, and him jumping on her) like he is trying to mate her. Did the whole thing last but a few seconds? Mine always squawk when the roo mates them, even if they do submit first. He may just be too young and not experienced enough to get the job done without some apparent roughness. They may settle in as he gets more experienced. And the constant chasing of this one may just be because she is the one submitting for now. When the others start to allow him to mate them, hopefully things will settle in.

 

[Oldschool]

Well, things have quieted down and the Delaware has seemed to finally accept him. I really believe I had to get out of the way and let them work it out. All is quiet in the coop. Thanks for the help!