Removing the rooster from flock

[Macnchzz]

I have a Dominique rooster and hen. I also have two Wellsummers hens. The Dominique hen is my rooster's favorite. She is also the smallest. I didn't plan on having a rooster. I ended up with one from the "pullets". I currently have 10 eggs in the incubator due to hatch in a few days. I need to re-home the rooster. We wanted hens for eggs. My family won't eat the eggs now because they are fertilized. Sorry, my question is, if I remove him from the flock, will the other hens(Wellsummers) start picking on the Dominique? She is never far from the rooster. I am worried also because she is smaller than the other two hens. I got them all at the same time as chicks. They are around 7 months old now. Anyone have any issues with this? Thanks!

 

[Pork Pie]

There is no reason why your smaller pullet should become a victim of bullying in the absence of the rooster.

 

[Stockpilejoy]

The only issue I noticed differently when I removed my rooster was that his favorite hen was pushed off the roost at night by 2 other hens so she started sleeping in nesting box. They would peck at her feet till she was forced to jump off. She's lowest on pecking order and had always slept next to rooster. Once I placed separators on my single roost it gave her a safe place where they could no longer peck her feet-problem solved. I might should add that size doesn't always matter. In my flock my smallest hen is at the top of the pecking order.

 

[Pretty Birds]

There is no reason why your smaller pullet should become a victim of bullying in the absence of the rooster.

I agree, they should be fine.

 

[Kiki]

What do you plan on doing with all the the males you hatch with your current set eggs?

 

[Chickassan]

She's a dom, chances of her staying lowest hen are very slim.
She'll be fine.

 

[Macnchzz]

What do you plan on doing with all the the males you hatch with your current set eggs?

I am going to find homes for most of the chicks. I already have people lined up.

 

[Criticalicious]

I understand rehoming the rooster if your primary reason for having chickens was for the eggs. But also, I think it's bizarre that anyone would refuse to eat eggs simply because they might or might not be fertilized. Not all the eggs will be fertilized with the rooster living there with the hens, and fertilized eggs taste the same as unfertilized - unless or until you left them in the nest box for a week in very hot weather and they started to develop - which seems highly unlikely. Only then might they taste or look any different (except the bulls-eye indicator on the yolk which many people don't know to look for). Am I missing something?

 

[wyoDreamer]

There are a lot of mis-informed people who let emotion run their lives. They may believe that eating a fertilized egg is murdering a chick, who knows.

A friend of ours won't eat eggs with brown shells. No good reason why, but she won't. So no eggs for her...

 

[Chickassan]

Im curious if he's a good rooster.
If he is id keep him in case you need to replace your flock quickly.
Temperment is fairly hereditary and decent roosters aren't as common as you'd think.
Not even to mention dom chicks are quite marketable