Positive experiencees with roosters?

[purpletree23]

Does anyone have an ideal flock with good relationships between the rooster and his hens? My rooster is fantastic at guarding his girls but is a little too active in the mounting department. The hens backs were starting to show wear so I trimmed his nails and spurs. He was still doing damage so I changed tactics.

Every morning for the past month he is let into one run while the hens are let into adjacent run. They see each other all day and do interact. At night after the girls have gone in the coop to roost I open his pop door and he comes right in and jumps on the perch and settles in for the night. Even though I get out to the coop to let everyone out by 6am there are still problems. The hens stay on the perch because they are afraid to jump down to the coop floor. One in a while one of the hens will be in a nesting box but you can tell she was roughed up that morning.

Does anyone have a rooster with hens and the hens are still fully feathered and fluffy and not looking like they just went through heck or is that just for pretty pictures?

If anyone has any suggestions or advice I would really appreciate it.


One more thing. How will a rooster act towards chicks when my broody hatches her eggs?

 

[foreverlearning]

Do you have enough hens for your rooster? Is your rooster the right size for your hens? They suggest at least 10 hens for a rooster to prevent these problems. I have no problems with mine and they all roam together. I have one rooster and 7 pullets, my rooster is slightly smaller than the pullets and I still get fertile eggs.

 

[Majd]

All my hens are fluffy and fully feathered... he is so kind to them and don't hurt them.... and I get fertilized eggs at all times... he's a nacked neck roo... but he's a tall and light type... he's not heavy and fat and muscular..... he stands tall on his tip toes..... I mean he's not a heavy type of chicken...very smooth and slim body..... but in the past I had problems like yours with big roosters that had fat legs and heavy weight..... but it wasn't that bad... and it's very normal unless you wabt to show your hens..... and never had aggressive roos to chicks and mommy

 

[purpletree23]

Thanks guys! I have enough hens to rooster ratio but my rooster is 100% Rhode Island Red and is quite large. I'll have to add more hens or get a smaller rooster or get rid of him.

I'm glad to hear that majd has not had problems with aggressive roos and hens with babies.

 

[foreverlearning]

They also sell saddles for hens, they are pretty cheap on some websites about $12. If you get more hens try getting some for his size.