Pedophile rooster...?

[djsChickies]

I have 17 mature laying hens, one rooster and 10 chicks that are not quite 4 months old. The rooster just started chasing down the chicks and raping them. My birds are all free-range and the chicks have integrated well into the flock and all was well till the roo decided the chicks were fair game. Will this hurt the chicks? Are the chicks too young and not physically mature yet?

Thanks,
DJ

 

[Mrs. K]

How old is the rooster?

 

[djsChickies]

Mrs. K,

The rooster is 1 1/2 to 2 years old and he breeds freely with the 17 laying hens, so he's obviously not short of hens. Actually, I think he's a sex maniac. My concern is that he may be too heavy for the chicks and break a bone or something with them being so young. Is that possible? He's not completely filled out yet, so he's not as heavy as he will be. He's a RI Red and the chicks are Golden Comets and Americaunas, so size isn't drastically off. Or, is his breeding them a sign that they are mature enough?

DJ

 

[microchick]

Too many times humans apply human behavior to animals.

You have to remember that chickens have absolutely no concept of the term rape. He sees a female, no matter what the age, and instincts along with hormones kicks in. I have 7 pullets that are 18 weeks old and 6 that are about 12 weeks. When I got the younger hens, they were about half that age. Our roosters didn't start to pursue the younger hens until they completely feathered out and their pursuit of the older hens is down right clumsey to say the least.


They do not know any better. The hens are maturing slower than the roosters, the roosters want to breed, and the end result is awkward as the roosters have not yet learned how to properly court the hens.

In the mean time it is hard sometimes to be a silent observer to chicken behavior, but what we call rape, they call normal chicken love.

If you are worried that the roo is going to injure the younger birds, then perhaps removing the younger girls till they have a chance to mature more is in order.

But please remember that your Roo is just doing what comes naturally.

 

[djsChickies]

Microchick,

Thank you for your input. I get what you're saying about not equating human behavior to other species, I've been a farm girl all my life. I'm just amazed at the stamina of this rooster....17 hens plus 10 chicks=27 females. This guy barely takes time to eat!! Seems like all he does is breed the hens. This guy might just keel over from pure exhaustion! Anyway, back on topic: I've been watching the chicks and they don't seem to be any worse for wear, so I guess I'll just let them be.

My son had a flock of about 3 or 4 doz. hens and a few roosters. The main rooster spent so much time trying to keep the other roosters away from 'his' hens that he too didn't take much time to eat. One day he just keeled over dead. I may be searching for a replacement roo one of these days if this guy doesn't slow down a bit. Maybe I should check his feed for Viagra.

DJ