Normal behavior? Hen hiding from Rooster

[taylacline]

We have 2 hens about 3 years old. We recently received a rooster from a friend, about 2 months ago. At first the hens really picked on the roo. Wouldn't let him eat, roost with them, etc. One hen was way more dominant out of the two. Now the roo has gotten more comfortable. He crows and struts and seems to be looking out for the girls. He has gotten along with one hen, they are basically a pair now. But the other hen, the one that was originally the dominant one, is running and hiding from the roo. She's stayed inside the coop the past two days, when she tries to come out he immediately goes to her. She's just been huddling in a corner away from him.

Is this just the roo starting to assert his dominance? I'd hate for her to not eat or drink because she's scared

 

[ChicNmom]

You need more hens for the rooster.

 

[taylacline]

You need more hens for the rooster.

We've gotten 6 more but they are still young,not yet laying but they are all out there together. They are about 10 weeks

 

[ChicNmom]

I have a similar thing going on. But my hen is super annoying and because she annoys the group my young cockerel tends to be at her more than the others, which freaks her out and makes her more annoying.

I make sure to take her some extra food when she's hiding in the coop and at bed time. Then when I let them into the yard I wait for him to settle down and then I take her to be with the group of older ladies.

It's when she separates herself and then comes out that seems to get him going. I don't know if it's frustration that she won't stay with the group or just her annoying disposition.

Hopefully your girl will adapt. Have you seen any aggressive behavior from the roo towards her?

If she was the dominant hen, they likely had a fight and she now knows she's been demoted.

 

[nuthatched]

Seperate out the roo.

 

[aart]

when she tries to come out he immediately goes to her. She's just been huddling in a corner away from him.

Does he go after her aggressively, or just leaves her alone?
If he's not hurting her or keeping her from eating/drinking, let them work it out.

Is he bothering the younger birds?

 

[taylacline]

I have a similar thing going on. But my hen is super annoying and because she annoys the group my young cockerel tends to be at her more than the others, which freaks her out and makes her more annoying.

I make sure to take her some extra food when she's hiding in the coop and at bed time. Then when I let them into the yard I wait for him to settle down and then I take her to be with the group of older ladies.

It's when she separates herself and then comes out that seems to get him going. I don't know if it's frustration that she won't stay with the group or just her annoying disposition.

Hopefully your girl will adapt. Have you seen any aggressive behavior from the roo towards her?

If she was the dominant hen, they likely had a fight and she now knows she's been demoted.

I don't really know much about rooster behavior, I did see him jump on top of her like trying to mate but he was the wrong way around. like his head was at her tail end

 

[taylacline]

Does he go after her aggressively, or just leaves her alone?
If he's not hurting her or keeping her from eating/drinking, let them work it out.

Is he bothering the younger birds?

He seems to like go after her if she tries to come out but once she's hidden he does let her be. But this prevents her from eating and drinking.
Hes does notseem to be bothering the young ones. But they tend to keep away fromhim

 

[aart]

He seems to like go after her if she tries to come out but once she's hidden he does let her be. But this prevents her from eating and drinking.

Would be good to set up a feed and water station behind a visual barrier.
How big is your coop and run?
Dimensions and pics would help garner some viable suggestions.

Hes does notseem to be bothering the young ones. But they tend to keep away fromhim

This is a good sign of a male who knows the score and leaves non laying female alone.

 

[taylacline]

Would be good to set up a feed and water station behind a visual barrier.
How big is your coop and run?
Dimensions and pics would help garner some viable suggestions.


This is a good sign of a male who knows the score and leaves non laying female alone.

Our coop is a converted old shed. The coop itself is about 10x8 and then the run is about 6x20. We also let them free range when we can