New rooster picking on others

[chemew]

this may be normal but i want to ask just in case its not. Our rooster (6 mos old) arrived today along with 4 young guineas. the hens won't arrive until tomorrow. they were introduced to the new coop (8x8) tonight and one of the guineas wouldn't leave the rooster's side. I guess the rooster became irritated and pecked on the guinea so that it jumped about 3 feet straight up. This happened a couple of times. Then the rooster would take a couple of steps to get to the same guinea and peck again. I finally picked up the guinea and set it down with the three others and they huddled together on a roost.

the rooster came from a flock that already had a rooster that was mean to him so the owners found him a new home with us. is this behavior normal? is this just a way of the rooster establishing dominance? i'm worried if maybe its something more .....

 

[galanie]

Sounds like what you say, establishing dominance.

 

[sourland]

It's all about the pecking order. There will be even more turmoil when you add the new hens. Eventually it will all settle down, but next spring do not be surprised if the guineas rebel and attack the rooster as a group.

 

[chemew]

Why would the guineas rebel and attach the rooster? I had understood that once pecking order was done, then it was done. It sounds as if next spring the guineas may want to re-assert themselves.

 

[sourland]

In the spring when testosterone levels are high, guineas can run amok especially if confined to a pen. If this happens they tend to gang up on one bird at a time.

The pecking order is never "done." It is a fluid ever changing order. The birds on the bottom are always looking for signs of weakness in those above them. This leads to challenges which can lead to flock position adjustments. Nobody wants to be on the bottom. True of all species- not just fowl.

 

[chemew]

The rooster is now the protector of four guinea hens. Whenever we enter the coop, either the guineas run and hide behind the rooster or the rooster moves in between us and the guineas!

We introduced 5 hens today. The rooster only pounced on one of them - he was holding her down by "biting" on her neck and opening his wings. The hen didn't seem hurt but he did this a couple of times. I didn't see any aggression towards the other hens other than a peck here and there.

This evening, the rooster was surrounded by the hens and guineas on what I thought was far too small of a roost area. There was one hen by herself on another roost and one hen in the rafters.

I guess the flock will be ok after all. Thanks to everyone for the replies!