Rooster attacking broody hen

[Flockincrazy]

he is disaplining her because he thinks your mad at her its his way of showing he is boss under you

 

[bobbi-j]

he is disaplining her because he thinks your mad at her its his way of showing he is boss under you

I have to respectfully disagree. He is a 9-month old cockerel, meaning he is immature and hormone-driven. A chicken does not have the thought process to think that the human might be angry with another chicken, so it must be punished.

 

[Flockincrazy]

I have to respectfully disagree. He is a 9-month old cockerel, meaning he is immature and hormone-driven. A chicken does not have the thought process to think that the human might be angry with another chicken, so it must be punished.

Mine do it if I yell at one of my flock my king of the coop King Rooroo gets cocky with that flock member and will give them what for and he is only 6mths old

 

[bobbi-j]

I know this is an old thread but I wish others with experience would chime in, since I have EXACTLY the same situation. A 9 month old roo that hasn't made any fertile eggs, and he attacks any favorelle hen that goes broody and takes a break from it. I'm wondering if it is a "young and clueless" thing, or if there is just no future for this roo and he needs to be dinner.

It's a shame because he's pretty sweet-natured and very pretty, he is a bit small for the faverolles perhaps, he's a black/gold isbar. Today he was so mean to the latest broody faverolle who runs away from him constantly..pulls feathers out of her neck every time.... I grabbed him and held his head to the ground... useless I know...

A 9-month old cockerel is not the same as a fully mature rooster. (Think hormone-driven teenage boy, vs mature adult male.) If this were my flock, I’d either pen him up for a few months to give him a chance to settle down (I’d have to REALLY like him to do that), or he’d be in the freezer. I don’t have the patience to deal with a chicken that’s not a good flock leader and bullies the hens.

How long has your broody been on her eggs? When she “takes a break”, is that just to come off the nest to eat, drink and poop? How old is your broody hen?

 

[rotagen]

Chicken Drama !

This particular broody faverolle hen has only been broody for a few days. He's been a butthole to her since she started, and it seems to be a bit worse than his previous behavior. He chases her down and rips out neck feathers...eventually she just lies down on the ground for a minute or 2. He only seems to do it to the faverolles, not the little Isbar who has been broody for what seems like forever (I just put some almost hatching eggs under her and she snatched them up, hopefully she can handle it). He never messes with her. Granted the faverolles are kinda weirdos like all of their breed are, when they come off the broody nest they cluck and act afraid of him running around. The isbar is the youngest hen, same age as him. My faverolles and reds hens are about 13 1/2 months old (reds have not been broody).

I'm thinking the faverolles never quite accepted him, maybe because of his size. He's not too much bigger than them, taller though. If I were a pro with a huge flock I guess he'd already be dinner but the little bugger is so friendly (to humans) and purdy so I got attached.

 

[rotagen]

Oh I forgot to ask about his other behavior (this is my first roo). Every morning when I let them out, there's one or 2 faverolle hens that sprint around their big pen clucking all the way and he tears out after them. Just wonderin' if that's a normal thing, which is what I previously thought, or if it's weird and a clear sign that they don't like this guy. Hens and women control the world, hehe. Regardless he'll never give up, seems to like to chase them down.

 

[bobbi-j]

I won’t keep a cockerel or rooster that bullies the hens, but you are the one who has to decide how much nonsense you’re willing to put up with. Maybe you should do your poor little hen a favor and find her a home where she won’t be tormented.

 

[bobbi-j]

Oh I forgot to ask about his other behavior (this is my first roo). Every morning when I let them out, there's one or 2 faverolle hens that sprint around their big pen clucking all the way and he tears out after them. Just wonderin' if that's a normal thing, which is what I previously thought, or if it's weird and a clear sign that they don't like this guy. Hens and women control the world, hehe. Regardless he'll never give up, seems to like to chase them down.

They can tend to be a bit more “randy” in the morning.

 

[rotagen]

wow, fast responses, thanks. But opposite sides of the coin... I assumed it was a "morning wood" randy thing...but I'm worried that the hens should be more receptive. So I guess I'm in the middle. Hopefully more folks will chime in, thanks. His exact behavior is to run them down and mate.

I do have some snazzy little cockerels from a barnyard mix I hatched, a couple favorites are a fat barred rock and a red/polish mix, named ferny...at least that's what he appears to be. Both are probably gonna be large enough for the faverolles.

 

[Louie756]

How did this turn out? I have a very similar situation going on. Thanks!