roo pinning down hen

[kuchchicks]

I have a 4 yr old Ameracauna hen who stopped laying last fall. Shes my oldest and only one not laying but super sweet so i was just going to let her live out her retirement. I also have a 2 yr old roo that has lived in the same coop since he was 8 weeks (red laced blue wyandot - nasty but does his job). Yesterday he started knocking her to the ground and kept her pinned there. Everytime she tried to get up he would pin her back down til she gave up and just laid on her side. I finally moved her out to an old coop i only use for new chicks. She is currently by herself until i put 5 week old babies there this weekend. Anyone know why the roo is doing this?

 

[chooks4life]

That's not normal and I'd think likely to escalate. He might kill her.

Nasty roosters aren't worth keeping in my opinion, nice roosters do the job just as well if not better, and they don't breed on demented mentalities and vicious temperaments into the bargain.

Best wishes.

 

[kuchchicks]

I think she must have been sick. Found her dead in other coop this morning.

 

[chooks4life]

Pretty good chance in all his knocking her to the ground and pinning her there, he hurt her. I'd consider this a potential illness death but also a potential killing, myself.

I'd get rid of him either way because I don't allow my animals to decide who lives and dies, that's my choice. So many nasty chooks kill other chooks that could have been saved with a little care, all that was wrong with them was something simple and easily fixed... But, your call.

Best wishes.

 

[kuchchicks]

thats really sad to think. I may look to rehome him if i see him do it again. Im not sure i could kill him. Husband thinks i should let him free range outside the fence and let him take his chances...

 

[chooks4life]

Some people are okay with their hens and roosters killing their own. I'm not because that would just create a horrible scenario, where the first indication an animal was sick might be the fact that the rest are mutilating it, or have already inflicted fatal damage before I find out. They're so good at hiding illness or injury, often only the other animals know but the human can't see any signs.

Some consider that survival of the fittest, but domesticity isn't really about the fittest, we breed them to become dependent on us and more productive than they could physically sustain without our assistance, and therefore we have a duty of care which involves not subjecting them to avoidable harm, where possible.

But, it's all a matter of opinion, some people are fine with that state of affairs and would see it as the rooster doing you a service by killing an unfit hen. Theoretically unfit anyway, we don't yet know for sure what she died of.

Anyway, you know my stance on it, but I respect your choice and wish you all the best with it, even if you choose to keep him.

I would suggest you don't abandon or dump him if you do decide to get rid of him, because most domestic chickens, just like most domestic dogs and cats, cannot actually adapt to life in the wild. Only some do, and they breed so prolifically many people think they can all adapt just the same, but the survivors are the minority. Most dumped animals die, and not quick and merciful deaths either.

Doesn't matter how instinctive they seem in captivity; their instincts and physiology have
been bred to be quite different to their wild ancestors. They're usually nowhere near as parasite resistant, more susceptible to some diseases, they often don't have relevant experience about what plants are safe to eat, and their faulty instincts means the majority of them become predator food rather than survive.

They're used to food being provided, and a safe bed. They're bred to have heavier, meatier bodies compared to their ancestors so can't run or fly away as easily, plus it places a metabolic demand on them for fuel that their wild ancestors don't have to suffer under. They're too soft for the wild really. Some chooks go feral successfully, but they would be the minority, with the rest dying.

I understand it can be hard to cull them yourself. Maybe somebody would want him, if it comes down to you rehoming him. Maybe this issue will never happen again.

Good luck with him and your other chooks.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

thats really sad to think. I may look to rehome him if i see him do it again. Im not sure i could kill him. Husband thinks i should let him free range outside the fence and let him take his chances...

That is more cruel, imo, than giving him a quick, clean death.

 

[kuchchicks]

I am a huge animal person. I would never dump him. Think husband was joking because we could never kill him. We have had him since he hatched. We have actually decided to just watch him and see what happens. We dont want to get rid of him. I am hoping it was a one time incident.