overly randy rooster?

[Minky]

ok, admittedly i have a rooster problem.
We had an a-hole so we rehomed him to a kid free environment.
then we raised a new one- well, he's an a -hole too. so he is in pen awaiting the stew pot, along with 3 others who i havent been able to sell or give away.

our last rooster, (these were all born here in april) is handsome and hasnt attacked anyone yet. PHEW. he is a bit standoffish (hen raised) and i like that.

however, he chases my 6 oldest biggest hens (who are laying) all day- and will mate them over and over. the other 20 pullets he will look at and chase too, but doesnt mate them. My big hens will turn and peck him, and pull his feathers, but it seems like a lot of mating, so I lock him up 3 -4 days in a row, then let him out for 1 or 2.

I am hoping in a couple of months when there are 25 full grown hens (they will be 6 months then, so i guess full grown pullets is more accurate) 1:25 will be a better ratio.

Is he extra randy because he is a " teenager"? Any suggestions on management>? am i doing ok with locking him up half the time? my hens have some bald spots on their backs. One hen in particular. The rest dont look so bad, but the one hen i think is molting also....

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have had good luck penning them separately, and waiting out that teenage stage. Some are good after a few weeks to months and some need penning on and off for up to two years.

Most turn out to be great roosters after the 2 year mark. It's getting there that's a bit frustrating with some roosters. I'm not a fan of immature roosters running amok and causing chaos. On occasion one is great right from the start but for me most need management. I don't like seeing hens and pullets abused by a hormonal boy. So I round them up if and when necessary. If they are still troubles by that third season than it's time to go.

 

[Chickassan]

Can't put it better than oldhen! It takes a very long time for the brain and the huevos to be even close to being on the same page lol! Even really good,old roosters have off days as well. Keep him seperate and give him a test run every so often just to see how he's going and when you're happy leave him out.

 

[Minky]

Awesome. Ok, thanks so much for the feedback. It really makes me feel better, that my instinct to lock them up for chunks of time and give the hens some sanity and peace was a good one. I do really have to fight the guilt of seeing them penned. I love seeing my birds rolling in forest floor dust baths and chasing moths through the wildflowers. I am super surprised about it taking so long for a rooster to mature. I sort of wish I had locked up my old rooster before I rehomed him. He was a real a-hole. Maybe he wouldve matured into an ideal rooster?

Is it possible my husband saw my dominant rooster (5 months old, large mix breed) "mating" my 2nd from the top rooster (4 months old) today? They have been locked up together for 3 days now. Rooster coop is about 5x12. Lots of roosts, but not much to do.

What do you think? Do roosters do that?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Roosters will definitely mate each other, especially when young. It tells you how much they are just following their urges. Some roosters can be penned together and others will fight after a bit, those I remove permanently.

I have since stopped feeling guilty about locking the troublemakers up. Their time in jail means that they will live a good long life after we get past the stupid hormonal phase.

I kept a pair of brothers penned together for about 2 years before I was able to finally let them out to find their spots in my large flock. As long as the pen is big enough for the rooster to pace and exercise and that they can interact through the fence they seem fine. Many learn how to sweet talk the ladies and lure them over so they can talk. Some recommend penning they away, but I prefer to keep them right in the action.

If I have room in my flock or even if I currently don't have room, I always like to try to manage and keep the good boys around.

A few months to a year or two in a separate pen is a small part of their whole life. I definitely will put the girls ahead of the young boys.

Once you see how good a mature rooster can be and how the hens actually like them you will see that it's worth that bit of time to get them there.

 

[Folly's place]

Yes, cockerels will 'do that', it's part of a dominance display. Normal, especially when confined, which is not normal.
Human aggression does NOT improve with advanced age! Some idiot cockerels can be 'reformed', but usually it's a problem with their genetics (hard wired to attack humans) and can't be fixed. Also shouldn't be included in the gene pool.
Your boys are adolescents, and may mature to be wonderful, or not. Unlike a number of folks here, my birds are all in one flock, with plenty of space, and places to avoid each other, but I don't separate cockerels from the group. If one of them behaves badly, as in causing injury to another hen or pullet, he goes.
Mary

 

[Minky]

Well that's good to know-- now I dont feel bad for rehoming my beautiful a-hole rooster, Brooster. And that's why Pingu's going into the pot- he's gotten aggressive toward us lately.
I am looking forward to mellower roosters!!!

 

[Folly's place]

Some breeds and family line produce more good boys, and some produce more jerks. What breeds do you have, and what others may interest you?
Mary

 

[Minky]

I have cream legbar offspring (dad was a CL) and one mixed breed that I bought as a day old. So far only 3 out of 7 havent attacked anyone yet.