Roo chasing young roos

[Connie123]

I have a LF Brahma Roo that is one year old. In November we had a broody hen hatch 3 chicks, two of which were Roos. Our big Roo has been such a good father, taking to the babies right and helping take care of them. Fast forward to yesterday. One of the Roo babies crowed for the first time and as soon as he did, our big Roo started chasing him and didn’t let up. Today, he chased both boys all day to the point they were panting, and it’s not even hot out. We’ve been trying to stay out of it and let them work it out. My daughter had to intervene when the young ones were panting so hard. When she did that, our big Roo mounted a hen right in front of her. Over the past month 4 of our 7 hens are starting to get bald spots from him mounting them. And occasionally he just pulls their feathers. I’ve had enough. What can I do? He’s not abusive other than that and is a good caretaker. He’s not rude to us. The biggest problem is his treatment of the young Roos. Our big Roo was beaten up pretty badly by his brothers, which was why we got him in the first place. He’s been a good boy, but I’m afraid he’ll end up beating these young birds.

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

If the hens are being overmated and the cockerels are having to avoid him, it'd probably be best to cull him. What worries me most is the overmating. You should probably get him either more hens, or seperate him and reintroduce him after the hens grow back their feathers, if the problem persists, I'd cull him.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

Seven hens is not enough for 3 roosters. I think your older rooster is being overly aggressive to the young ones because right the limited resources (hens). If you had 30 hens he would probably still chase the young Roos sometimes, but not as aggressively.

Some roosters do well with a small number of hens but it looks like yours needs more to keep the wear down, even without the added pressure of more males. Roosters also like certain hens better than others, so his favorites may need hen saddles. In my flock the top hens don’t put up with any nonsense so the lower rank hens get more attention from the roosters. It gets worse as spring approaches.

You are going to have to add more hens or reduce your roosters very soon.

 

[aart]

What can I do?

Decide which male you want to keep, then get rid of the others.

 

[Connie123]

Please don’t misunderstand me - these young boys are being rehomed and he JUST started to be aggressive - the moment he heard the young one crow. And he has balded my hens (the three breeder quality - gentler - Brahma hens and his favorite hen, a crested cream legbar that is actually the mom of the young Roos) prior to the babies. I just thought because he is SO clumsy and young it was just poor form on his part during mating. 1 Roo to seven hens seemed more than adequate.

 

[3KillerBs]

This is normal rooster behavior.

It's much rarer for a rooster to tolerate competition from other males than for him to not tolerate it.

 

[Connie123]

This is normal rooster behavior.

It's much rarer for a rooster to tolerate competition from other males than for him to not tolerate it.

I read to not interfere unless there is blood. Perhaps it will mellow out once he feels they’re in their place. They leave for my mom’s farm in May. But I’ve tried since they were hatched and I knew they were boys to rehome them, but no one ever wants roosters - even when they’re purebred - when I need to rehome them. Seems the second we send them to freezer camp people are looking high and low for roosters... go figure. These boys aren’t going to be butchered though. So he’s not being over board with them? We usually keep hens only.

 

[3KillerBs]

I read to not interfere unless there is blood. Perhaps it will mellow out once he feels they’re in their place. They leave for my mom’s farm in May. But I’ve tried since they were hatched and I knew they were boys to rehome them, but no one ever wants roosters - even when they’re purebred - when I need to rehome them. Seems the second we send them to freezer camp people are looking high and low for roosters... go figure. These boys aren’t going to be butchered though. So he’s not being over board with them? We usually keep hens only.

I can't answer that question.

But it is normal and expected for a rooster to fight and drive out the competition.

 

[Folly's place]

He's behaving in the 'normal range', but it's still unacceptable for your hens (pullets?) to be miserable, and your cockerels to be chased so severely. Unless things are better very soon, like today, it's time to move somebody on elsewhere. Maybe your two cockerels can leave sooner, or your rooster, who seems to have come from a family of overly aggressive males, can go. Something needs to change!
Some birds have poor feather quality and will become bare backed because of that, but again, something needs to change. If he's not actually being too rough, that's one thing, but if he is too rough, your hens deserve better.
Mary

 

[Connie123]

Rehomed both young boys. Now to find a few more suitable hens for him.