Rooster attacking hen, please help! EDIT: He's still attacking!

[ChickenPeep]

More than a month ago I got a new silkie cross hen. She is bigger than a silkie but smaller than a standard size hen. Our rooster is the flock leader and attacks her whenever he sees her. I was wondering if maybe it's because she's so buch bigger than him (he's a bantam) and so he feels challenged...? She never challenges anyone and always runs away. I though that his attacking her was just a first time thing that he would get over after a few weeks, but he just keeps doing it. I really want to be able to integrate her so I don't have to keep her separate, and I want her to be happy. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Araucana16]

Roosters are like dogs... they can be trained, but sometimes they can't.

Try training him first. Get mad, and violent, when he gets testy with the hens. Usually this stops them, and if it doesn't, you have a "bad apple."

 

[ChickenPeep]

I posted this thread over a month ago and I'm still having problems. I have taken Auracana26's advice but I'm not around all the time and I can't catch him every time he attacks her. He is such a sweet little rooster dude, but I can't figure out why he'd attack this hen that's 3X bigger than him!

It's making me really frustrated because I just want my flock to get along and be happy.

I hope someone can help.

 

[centrarchid]

In most instances when I have adult rooster that attacks an adult hen I find that something is wrong with the hen that impacts here behavior. Is she visually impaired? Does she walk normally? How does her voice sound? How does she feel in your hand with respect to weight and breast muscling?

 

[ChickenPeep]

Yes, she can see fine, walks normally, sounds fine, and is fine weight- wise. This rooster has never shown aggressive behavior to me or my other hens, ever. But he does attack my other rooster, the rooster that this hen hangs out with. I was thinking maybe he feels challenged because she's so much bigger than him? But she never fights back or anything. This is just so weird, I don't know why he's doing this!

Thanks so much for your reply.