Newly mature rooster.

[dianefbarfield]

New to this...first flock. First rooster. Tonight I could not find my most mature hen. All the flock was in the coop on the roost. I found her alone in the Nesting box. Put her in the coop. The roo attacked her and I removed her, put her back in the Nesting box. She is young and so is he but she is my best layer...did not lay today. What is happening? What do I do? I really didn't want a roo but he is nice and beautiful. What is normal?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Did he brutally attack her, or was it a peck-and-squawk incident? If it was a full-on attack, and you didn't really want him in the first place, consider finding him a new home. Some roos are just buttheads.
I've heard some people use dividers on their roosts so that birds can perch next to their buddies, but the bully on the other side of the divider can't see them or peck. Don't know if this would work for you; you'd have to physically move her to a roosting spot every night until she takes that spot on her own.

 

[dianefbarfield]

Did he brutally attack her, or was it a peck-and-squawk incident? If it was a full-on attack, and you didn't really want him in the first place, consider finding him a new home. Some roos are just buttheads.
I've heard some people use dividers on their roosts so that birds can perch next to their buddies, but the bully on the other side of the divider can't see them or peck. Don't know if this would work for you; you'd have to physically move her to a roosting spot every night until she takes that spot on her own.

It was pretty rough but like mating activity. She was upset. I am trying to rehome him. I will separate him at night until rehomed.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

You don't say how old they are. If they just started reaching sexual maturity people say cockerels can be full of raging hormones and too rough with the pulllets. How long has she been laying and what breed? It is normal for them to skip a day every now and then.

 

[dianefbarfield]

You don't say how old they are. If they just started reaching sexual maturity people say cockerels can be full of raging hormones and too rough with the pulllets. How long has she been laying and what breed? It is normal for them to skip a day every now and then.

He is about 6 months. She is older. She consistently lays. This morning she won't leave the Nesting box to eat. Is she brooding, hurt, sick? I will investigate and watch here for advice.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

It sounds like you have a young cockerel doing what young cockerels do. Chicken sexual behavior can seem rough until you get used to chickens and can see the difference between what is actually rough vs. standard mating behaviors. They really don't know what they are doing until they get the hang of it. If your hen was away in the nest all day and you put her back in the coop he most likely saw it as an opportunity to try to mate since he hasn't seen her all day. Roosters tend to go right for a broody to mate when she leaves her nest especially young cockerels. Check her underbelly and see if she is missing feathers. Usually a broody hen will start with sitting and pulling out her belly feathers so her skin is in direct contact with the eggs. Sometimes they wait for a clutch to actually brood, but if your hen is anything like mine she might be perfectly content stealing everyone else's eggs to make an instant clutch. Another thing you can do is reach under her like you are grabbing an egg. Does she puff up and make hen like growling noises? Or is she lethargic and not protesting you being there?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thanks for his age, that helps. What I think is happening is that the immature cockerel has matured to the point that he is trying to take over as flock master. That hen was the dominant hen and flock master. She did not want him to take over so they fought. He won but she hasn't totally accepted him as flock master so he is intimidating her until she accepts him. Intimidating means he is probably attacking her out of the blue, pecking her or worse, and running her away from the rest of the flock. She is scared and rightly so.

Different things could happen. Since violence is involved she could be hurt or killed. They may work things out. I had this happen once. For two days it was pretty brutal, then they sorted it out and became best buddies. She was still the dominant hen but he was flock master. No blood was drawn so I let them try to get through it.

What is normal?

It is pretty normal for an immature cockerel in a flock of all hens or pullets to take over as flock master when he matures enough. I had one that did that at 5 months, I had one that took 11 months. A lot of mine manage around 7 months but it varies by the personality of the cockerel and the personality of the hen. It sounds like you have a stubborn hen and a somewhat early maturing cockerel.

Most of the time when I see this transition of flock leadership it is pretty peaceful. A lot of the time I don't see it happening until I notice he is now the flock master. But every now and then you get two that clash.

Eventually this will work itself out. She may rejoin the flock or she might be injured or killed. I don't know what will happen in your specific case.

What do I do? I really didn't want a roo but he is nice and beautiful.

The only reason you need a rooster is if you want fertile eggs. If you don't want fertile eggs the obvious answer is to get rid of him. Now.

If you decide to keep him you can let them work through this and see what happens. Keep an eye on it and be ready to intervene if necessary.

Or you can lock him up where they cannot get to each other but can see each other. Leave her with the flock, lock him up. When he gets more mature she may accept his dominance without a big fight. In another month try again and see what happens. If it doesn't work, do it again for another month.

Or you can lock her up for a while, at least a week. Again, I think it would be good if they can see each other. See if there is any interaction between the two through the wire. Things may calm down between them enough for it to work.

If you decide to try to keep him I don't know what will happen if you try any of these. They might work, they might not. Base what you do on what you see because anything can happen.

Good luck.

 

[dianefbarfield]

It sounds like you have a young cockerel doing what young cockerels do. Chicken sexual behavior can seem rough until you get used to chickens and can see the difference between what is actually rough vs. standard mating behaviors. They really don't know what they are doing until they get the hang of it. If your hen was away in the nest all day and you put her back in the coop he most likely saw it as an opportunity to try to mate since he hasn't seen her all day. Roosters tend to go right for a broody to mate when she leaves her nest especially young cockerels. Check her underbelly and see if she is missing feathers. Usually a broody hen will start with sitting and pulling out her belly feathers so her skin is in direct contact with the eggs. Sometimes they wait for a clutch to actually brood, but if your hen is anything like mine she might be perfectly content stealing everyone else's eggs to make an instant clutch. Another thing you can do is reach under her like you are grabbing an egg. Does she puff up and make hen like growling noises? Or is she lethargic and not protesting you being there?

She is DEFINITELY broody. I remove her from the nest twice today. Closed the Nesting box. Tonight I was able to find a wonderful home for my roo. The young family needed a rooster and were thrilled to get him.

 

[Vickischics]

Good for you!
I keep 20 chickens and since I have no need for fertile eggs, I don't keep a cockerel or a Roo. If by chance I end up with a cockerel, I cull them once they crow. It might sound terrible but, No Roos in my Hen house. I like to keep my property quiet and flock peaceful.
My guardian dog is the Keeper and Protector of the flock. She's a 9 year old German Shepard. She loves her girls and they love her.