Roo developmental behavior question

[tlagnhoj]

I have a 14-16 week old salmon Faverolles roo. He isn't very roo-ish in terms of dominant and assertive. A couple of the hens in the flock will attack him mercilessly in the coop/run if given half a chance and he just cowers. It's better when I let them outside to free range in the yard, but only because he can run away and avoid the attack. However, I can't integrate them in the run/coop at all. He still has to sleep in a fenced-off area. Has he just not reached the point yet of letting them know who's boss? When might that happen?

Also, assuming things do work out and he works his way up to the top of the pecking order, so to speak, do roosters roost with hens? Right now he sleeps on the ground in a "nest" of pine shavings. (It's dry and draft-free.) Do I need to make him a more permanent solution?
Thanks.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

What breeds are your hens? Salmon Faverolles can be bullied by other breeds because of how docile they are. Also, he's a bit young to be leading a flock anyway. Give him some time to mature and he might do a better job.

 

[tlagnhoj]

What breeds are your hens? Salmon Faverolles can be bullied by other breeds because of how docile they are. Also, he's a bit young to be leading a flock anyway. Give him some time to mature and he might do a better job.

4 Barred Rocks and 5 Golden Comets. The comets are the mean girls. The Rocks don't look twice at him.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

4 Barred Rocks and 5 Golden Comets. The comets are the mean girls. The Rocks don't look twice at him.

Ah, yeah, both of those would be less docile than Salmon Faverolles in general. Since you say it's only a couple of them, you can try temporarily removing the bullies from the flock. If they have to reestablish themselves in the pecking order they may be too busy to bother the cockerel.

Edited because typo

 

[Ridgerunner]

Has he just not reached the point yet of letting them know who's boss? When might that happen?

You do not have a rooster, you have an immature cockerel. Breed doesn't matter. That behavior is fairly typical. With plenty of room it isn't an issue, locked together in tight quarters it can be.

He will take over the flock when he matures enough. The hens have something to say about that too. Some hens are willing to accept about anything in spurs, even undeveloped spurs, while others demand more. I've had one cockerel be able to do that at 5 months and it was a very peaceful takeover. I had one wait until 11 months and that involved a couple of days of violence between him and the dominant hen. She was not ready to give up her dominant position and he had kind of a weak personality. Most of my cockerels can do that at around 7 months of age and most hens are ready to accept them.

do roosters roost with hens?

Mine sure do once they mature. Until they mature enough, nope.

Right now he sleeps on the ground in a "nest" of pine shavings. (It's dry and draft-free.) Do I need to make him a more permanent solution?

If it's not broken don't fix it, you might break it. I don't see anything wrong with that. As long as my chickens are sleeping somewhere predator safe and not in the nests I don't care where they sleep. When he and the girls are ready he will move to the roosts.