Normal teenage cockerel behavior or is he an ahole in the making?

[bakersdozenroo]

Hello. I tried to let my 16 week old cockerel and my 11 week old pullets free range today. The cockerel was pecking some of the pullets in the face and their bodies and then he and I the leader of the pullets started really fighting (hackles up jumping and scratching at one another, etc). Is this normal behavior? How do I know if the cockerel is being too aggressive? Is it still too early to let them free range together? Right now the cockerel is in his own coop and run away from the pullets but they can see and hear one another. I also let the cockerel out and he will walk up against the pullets run and they will interact with the fencing of the run between them. Also, the cockerel has never been aggressive to myself or my family and today my 19 month old was sitting on the ground and he did go up behind him and peck him in the back of the head. It didn’t even hurt my 19 month old because he didn’t even notice, I just saw it. When the cockerel and the leader of the pullets got into the fight I broke it up and put him back in his run. Then after the girls were done free ranging and I put them back in their coop I let him out and he was fine.

 

[SamLockwood]

First, you really shouldn't be letting small children out with chickens.

Second, when you're integrating new birds there are bound to be some conflicts that will include some fighting. I've even had hens raise hackles at each other and fight.

Pecking on and of itself isn't necessarily a problem unless they're really hitting hard or or pulling feathers or it's accompanied by aggressive body language. Sometimes it's how they socialize.

Nothing so far stands out to me as a big problem. Attacking or trying to chase people is a big problem. Excessive violence like continuing aggression after the other bird backs off and /or submits is another red flag.

The problem with cockerels is you're not really going to know what you've got until they're at least a year old. He may or may not go through several personality changes until then.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Wow, pecking the back of a seated toddler's head - that's BIG. It's common for aggression to first be shown to smaller people (children, often women.) No kids around him until he's gone through his typical hormonal storm, if he lasts that long.

 

[Perris]

You are in a bit of a tricky situation with just youngsters, and the sole male being about half as old again as the females. Males develop faster than females anyway, and with their age gap, the issue is compounded. So first I'll offer some observations on your statements, and then some advice on going forward.

I tried to let my 16 week old cockerel and my 11 week old pullets free range today.

Good. Free ranging is good for all of them.

The cockerel was pecking some of the pullets in the face and their bodies

Has he been isolated until now? That is the impression I get. If so, everything is new to him and he is exploring the world with his beak, just as toddlers do with their mouths, as well as his eyes and ears etc. He wants to know what the other chickens are made of. The girls have grown up together so already know this stuff. Remember how much pecking of random items, including each other, they did as chicks.

he and I the leader of the pullets started really fighting (hackles up jumping and scratching at one another, etc). Is this normal behavior?

Yes it is. And that is just play fighting, testing one another out; they are all youngsters, they don't go in for the kill at this age. They can barely control their bodies properly yet. Think playground antics. The leader of the pullets is undertaking her responsibility to protect the rest from this intruder to their group, like a good big sister would with siblings.

Is it still too early to let them free range together?

Yes, because the male is so much older than the females. At 11 weeks they are really just like schoolgirls starting big school, whereas he's equivalent to a late teen boy leaving big school. If they were the same age and he'd grown up in their company, it would be a different story.

Right now the cockerel is in his own coop and run away from the pullets

Has he had any company thus far? Or has he had to grow up in solitary?

I also let the cockerel out and he will walk up against the pullets run and they will interact with the fencing of the run between them

That's good. Or the reverse (let the pullets out to go spend time hanging round his run).

he did go up behind him and peck him in the back of the head. It didn’t even hurt my 19 month old because he didn’t even notice, I just saw it

That's more exploring the world with his beak behaviour. He was probably intrigued by your child's hair. Or maybe there was a tasty insect walking on it.

Then after the girls were done free ranging and I put them back in their coop I let him out and he was fine.

I think that sounds promising, given where you are starting from.

Going forward, they need to get to know each other as well as possible before they interact freely, so any opportunities for him *or* the pullets to be out and able to go over to where the other(s) are confined would be beneficial. He needs company to grow up as a well-adjusted male; not just being able to see and hear female company from a distance, but close up.

You have to make a decision either: let them live together now and be prepared for a potentially brutal few weeks while he establishes his dominance and tries to mate with pullets who are not ready and will resist; or keep them separate but socialize them as much as possible through wire until the pullets have matured and are close to laying and seek out his attention. The latter will probably take at least 3 months and maybe more.

Don't hesitate to come back with more questions if you have them. Raising roos within a flock is only challenging at first. And it is well worth it imo. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

 

[Mrs. K]

DO NOT HAVE YOUR CHILD PLAY WITH A COCKEREL FREE IN THE SAME SPACE!

Inexperienced keepers can vastly underestimate the violence of a cockerel. They tend to attack children first. Attacks have a strong possibility of becoming more violent. Cockerels and roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of kids!

This bird has given you a warning!

Mrs K

 

[bakersdozenroo]

First, you really shouldn't be letting small children out with chickens.

Second, when you're integrating new birds there are bound to be some conflicts that will include some fighting. I've even had hens raise hackles at each other and fight.

Pecking on and of itself isn't necessarily a problem unless they're really hitting hard or or pulling feathers or it's accompanied by aggressive body language. Sometimes it's how they socialize.

Nothing so far stands out to me as a big problem. Attacking or trying to chase people is a big problem. Excessive violence like continuing aggression after the other bird backs off and /or submits is another red flag.

The problem with cockerels is you're not really going to know what you've got until they're at least a year old. He may or may not go through several personality changes until then.

Yes I don’t think he was attacking my son because he didn’t charge up on him. Still, I will not let him out with my son again until I see how he is going to be. He has not shown any aggression towards us at all. If anything, he has been clinging towards us (if I walk away and leave him to be in the yard he will actually follow me and stay around us as we walk to other areas of the yard). I know he is young still so can’t gauge how he’ll end up.

I’ll keep having them do some visits through the runs until the girls are just a bit older.

 

[bakersdozenroo]

DO NOT HAVE YOUR CHILD PLAY WITH A COCKEREL FREE IN THE SAME SPACE!

Inexperienced keepers can vastly underestimate the violence of a cockerel. They tend to attack children first. Attacks have a strong possibility of becoming more violent. Cockerels and roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of kids!

This bird has given you a warning!

Mrs K

Thank you. I don’t think he was trying to hurt him since he was just walking past him and pecked him, not that he went charging after him. Still, I’ll keep him away to be safe.

 

[bakersdozenroo]

You are in a bit of a tricky situation with just youngsters, and the sole male being about half as old again as the females. Males develop faster than females anyway, and with their age gap, the issue is compounded. So first I'll offer some observations on your statements, and then some advice on going forward.


Good. Free ranging is good for all of them.

Has he been isolated until now? That is the impression I get. If so, everything is new to him and he is exploring the world with his beak, just as toddlers do with their mouths, as well as his eyes and ears etc. He wants to know what the other chickens are made of. The girls have grown up together so already know this stuff. Remember how much pecking of random items, including each other, they did as chicks.

Yes it is. And that is just play fighting, testing one another out; they are all youngsters, they don't go in for the kill at this age. They can barely control their bodies properly yet. Think playground antics. The leader of the pullets is undertaking her responsibility to protect the rest from this intruder to their group, like a good big sister would with siblings.

Yes, because the male is so much older than the females. At 11 weeks they are really just like schoolgirls starting big school, whereas he's equivalent to a late teen boy leaving big school. If they were the same age and he'd grown up in their company, it would be a different story.

Has he had any company thus far? Or has he had to grow up in solitary?

That's good. Or the reverse (let the pullets out to go spend time hanging round his run).

That's more exploring the world with his beak behaviour. He was probably intrigued by your child's hair. Or maybe there was a tasty insect walking on it.

I think that sounds promising, given where you are starting from.

Going forward, they need to get to know each other as well as possible before they interact freely, so any opportunities for him *or* the pullets to be out and able to go over to where the other(s) are confined would be beneficial. He needs company to grow up as a well-adjusted male; not just being able to see and hear female company from a distance, but close up.

You have to make a decision either: let them live together now and be prepared for a potentially brutal few weeks while he establishes his dominance and tries to mate with pullets who are not ready and will resist; or keep them separate but socialize them as much as possible through wire until the pullets have matured and are close to laying and seek out his attention. The latter will probably take at least 3 months and maybe more.

Don't hesitate to come back with more questions if you have them. Raising roos within a flock is only challenging at first. And it is well worth it imo. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

Thank you so much for all the information. He has been alone in his coop and run except for human company. Everyday either myself or my daughter or sister have gone out and spent time with him so he’s not just been locked in the coop and run. I try and let him free range everyday and then I stay out there with him while he free ranges just because we do have some aerial predators and I want to deter them from going after him.

His coop and run is next to the girls so they can see and hear one another. When they were in their separate brooders they were next to each other and could see and hear one another. But to be with other chickens, only the first 6 weeks of his life he lived with his 3 brothers before I bought him.

Yes, waiting several more weeks until the girls are more receptive and more equal to his size is best.

He doesn’t have any spurs yet but I know just his other claws and beak can do harm so best not to test it and let the girls get a little bigger.

 

[Mrs. K]

I don’t think he was trying to hurt him since he was just walking past him and pecked him, not that he went charging after him. Still, I’ll keep him away to be safe.

He may be perfectly fine, but... 19 month old children are especially vulnerable, as they could take an attack in the face. And a flying rooster could knock them down, and it would be hard for the child to escape.

It is not that I meant this bird is like that, it is just that a child that age should not be exposed to any cockerel without an adult right beside them.

If you look there is countless posts on here where the darling became the nightmare in an instant. If that bird pecked him on the head, that is not a good position for that child to be in, and it is impossible to know ahead of time if it is a friendly peck or a nightmare.

Mrs K

 

[bakersdozenroo]

He may be perfectly fine, but... 19 month old children are especially vulnerable, as they could take an attack in the face. And a flying rooster could knock them down, and it would be hard for the child to escape.

It is not that I meant this bird is like that, it is just that a child that age should not be exposed to any cockerel without an adult right beside them.

If you look there is countless posts on here where the darling became the nightmare in an instant. If that bird pecked him on the head, that is not a good position for that child to be in, and it is impossible to know ahead of time if it is a friendly peck or a nightmare.

Mrs K

I understand and agree. Yes, better to be safe than sorry.