New silkie roo gets attacked by mean alpha hen

[Mo'sMenagerie]

I recently had to rehome the rooster in my flock. He was awesome, but just too big and he was destroying my hens when he mounted (more like raped!) them. Even with saddles that covered their wings, he destroyed the shoulders and back of at least 5 out of my flock of 10. I didn't want to lose him bc he was a great protector, but he had to go. I did not want to be without a rooster in the flock though because they free range. I've gone through 3 roosters now and they all have ended up being too rough on the hens

Soooo, a friend gave me a 1.5 yo silkie rooster. This guy surely won't b too rough on the ladies and my friend says he was a fierce protector--running off roosters twice his size! I pinned off a corner of the coop (its 10'x12' so they're is plenty of room) and have had him there for one day. The same day I also moved my 5 six week old chicks out of their brooder into to a pin under the poop board in the same coop so they can begin acclimating to the their new home. Whew!! They are all out and in the same coop! BUT--upon coming home today from a doctor's appointment, I found the silkie roo's comb all bloodied, a section of his pen covered in blood, and my top-of-the-pecking-order dark brahma B!TCH with blood all over her guilty face!!! She must have attacked the little guy when he got close enough to the fencing! I'm so upset. Before we had our last rooster who was just rehomed, the DB hen was a demon and mean to everyone. But having a large rooster seemed to put her in her place. Now I'm worried she's going to rise back to the top of the pecking order and start attacking the flock--Namely the silky roo and the soon to be intermingled (after a week or so of being kept fenced off under the poop board in the coop) 6week olds!! Any suggestions BYCers?

 

[Chicken101-07]

If the rooster was not the only rooster at your friend's place there is a chance he was not in the top of pecking order,only the roosters at top of pecking order act like a rooster would normally behave crowing,etc.It might take the rooster a little bit of time for him to realize that he now can be the top rooster with no competition and take control of that brahma,or there is also a chance that the hen is confusing the rooster for a new hen.

 

[Mo'sMenagerie]

There were a lot of roosters where he came from. So I could see that. I could also see the Brahma confusing him for a hen. He's much smaller than most of them.

 

[Severne]

Brahma? Never had an aggressive one of those or even heard of one till now. I don’t think that rooster is really dominant after all though, from what you said.

 

[Mo'sMenagerie]

Brahma? Never had an aggressive one of those or even heard of one till now. I don’t think that rooster is really dominant after all though, from what you said.

I know, RIGHT?! Guess I just got lucky. You should see how evil she looks strutting around with blood all over her face.

 

[Severne]

Oh, that is bad, looks like shes a good candidate for chicken pot pie camp.

 

[Mo'sMenagerie]

We don't eat our chickens, they are more like pets who provide us with lovely eggs However, I will not hesitate to find her a new home if this kind of behavior continues. My concern is that because the new rooster is smaller than the rest of the birds in the flock (not counting the 6 week olds) that the hens will be mean to him. I hope not...