Removing problematic rooster

[StepfordCuckoos]

So I have a silkie rooster who has been bullying my silkie hen (ironically the one who raised him. not his "bio" mom but he hatched from and incubator and immediately went under her). She's a tiny girl and is the sweetest chicken ever. He was fine with her when she was raising him (even stayed with her a bit longer than you would expect). However, she managed to hatch an egg about a month and a week ago (sadly the chick passed away after a few weeks. we didn't want her to hatch at all but she went broody and felt bad taking the egg from her). For the safety of the baby we put her and baby in the brooder in their coop. The brooder is a loft area. When the baby passed, I put her back with the flock but noticed that she appeared to have a bit of a cold. She was brought inside for a week, given medicine, and then put back. He has targeted her since.

I read somewhere that removing a chicken for a period of time and reintroducing will change the pecking order. So I removed him and have him in the brooder area. Is this a good idea/a possibility that will work to get him to leave her alone? We don't cull our roosters (we have a bachelor flock of non-bantam roosters)- and he's not at the level that that would be needed anyway. He hasn't injured her (yet).

 

[sourland]

Keeping him from the flock until she has fully reintegrated (days not hours) may result in a readjustment of his attitude. I'd monitor closely upon reintroducing him to the flock. Good luck.

 

[Faiyumi]

It could possibly work. Usually this is for pecking order issues though and I'm wondering if this is a hormonal issue. Being a young rooster is hard on one's decision making skills. Keeping them separate to break pecking order can take a couple weeks and multiple tries at that and it's not like he's going to go back in smoothly. He's going to end up fighting for his pecking order again.

I'd honestly just leave them be if it's not too aggressive. Removing him before they resolve the pecking order can make the situation worse. If he wasn't being very violent then keep them together. If he is a relentless monster and you are worried he is going to potentially kill her, then I'd separate them. Pecking order disputes are very important to their emotional health. Separation is only for violent offenders.