Rooster Aggression Directed at One Hen

[Rhudzin2]

Seeking advice. I have 13 hens and 1 rooster. The rooster is around 1.5 years old and I’ve had him since he was a chick. Everything has been going fine until a couple weeks ago, he started attacking one hen. She is my oldest hen. He is not trying to breed with her, he is very clearly trying to hurt or kill her. I’ve tried separating him for days at a time, but he will always go back to trying to hurt her. I’ve tried separating her as well. Is there any hope for peace to be restored? What could be causing this? I’d hate to have to rehome him, plus I doubt anyone would even want him once I disclose my reason for rehoming.

 

[Rhudzin2]

Seeking advice. I have 13 hens and 1 rooster. The rooster is around 1.5 years old and I’ve had him since he was a chick. Everything has been going fine until a couple weeks ago, he started attacking one hen. She is my oldest hen. He is not trying to breed with her, he is very clearly trying to hurt or kill her. I’ve tried separating him for days at a time, but he will always go back to trying to hurt her. I’ve tried separating her as well. Is there any hope for peace to be restored? What could be causing this? I’d hate to have to rehome him, plus I doubt anyone would even want him once I disclose my reason for rehoming.

I also want to add, this behavior occurs even while free ranging, so it’s not an overcrowding issue. As far as I can tell, the hen is very healthy, although at 5 years old she is no longer laying.

 

[Rose the Legbar]

Seeking advice. I have 13 hens and 1 rooster. The rooster is around 1.5 years old and I’ve had him since he was a chick. Everything has been going fine until a couple weeks ago, he started attacking one hen. She is my oldest hen. He is not trying to breed with her, he is very clearly trying to hurt or kill her. I’ve tried separating him for days at a time, but he will always go back to trying to hurt her. I’ve tried separating her as well. Is there any hope for peace to be restored? What could be causing this? I’d hate to have to rehome him, plus I doubt anyone would even want him once I disclose my reason for rehoming.

Your oldest hen could be not wanting to breed with him and he is trying to put her in her place. Him targeting her is not a good thing. I would remove the rooster for a week or two so your hen can catch a break. When your rooster comes back into the flock, hopefully he won’t be mean.

 

[Mimi1008]

Seeking advice. I have 13 hens and 1 rooster. The rooster is around 1.5 years old and I’ve had him since he was a chick. Everything has been going fine until a couple weeks ago, he started attacking one hen. She is my oldest hen. He is not trying to breed with her, he is very clearly trying to hurt or kill her. I’ve tried separating him for days at a time, but he will always go back to trying to hurt her. I’ve tried separating her as well. Is there any hope for peace to be restored? What could be causing this? I’d hate to have to rehome him, plus I doubt anyone would even want him once I disclose my reason for rehoming.

Hello, I have the same thing happening with my rooster and my head hen. Did you issue resolve? Wondering what I can do. He was going after her so much I had to spray him with the hose to distract him. He won’t let her near the rest of the flock.

 

[Mrs. K]

I never had this happen until a coupe of years ago. This is what happened. I had a Roo that became heartless to this one hen. She was older, and I had decided to cull her in the fall. But in the meantime a predator got the rooster. She immediately did fine in the flock.

But the following summer, the new rooster started the same thing on the same hen. I did cull her, and peace was back in the flock.

So I don’t think your flock dynamics will go back. I think you need to remove one of them. Do you want to keep an old , non productive bird or the rooster.

You might pull out the victim and see how the flock interacts. If he picks a new victim, cull him. If the flock is calm and peaceful, cull her.

The thing is, this strife upsets the rest of the hens too.

Mrs K