Rooster attacking hen

[LeahPruitt]

I have seven chickens total:1 rooster, 4 adult hens and 2 chicks (about 2mths). They free range all day. When I went out to check on them three days ago, the rooster was standing next to one of the girls, she was in submissive position and he was pecking her comb and she was bleeding. Two other girls, who are now the official mean girls club and are numbers one and two on the totem pole, were standing there watching as if they were in charge of the event. At first I removed the rooster only to return to hen number one on the attack with the same girl. The terrible threesome has been in jail in the run and sleeping alone since then. My aunt who’s raised chickens her whole life says he’s trying to kill my girl and that I need to get rid of him and the mean girls will straighten up too. Just wondering about other experiences out there. Is it common for a rooster to kill a mate? This is my first time with chickens and it’s only been a year and half, I don’t have a lot of experience in chicken psychology.

This rooster has been a bit of a problem for me with attacking me and my dog. But he’s handicapped with a bad leg, so he doesn’t do much damage just more of a nuisance. I just felt like he was good with the girls and good at being a predator watch. I’m just debating on making his destiny a little shorter. I’d like to hear about the commonality of this instance and if there’s any other way to solve it.

 

[ChicNmom]

Is it possible there is something wrong with the hen being attacked?
If so the others will continue to attack. I wouldn't put her back with the mean girls until she's fully recovered.

I had one hen that was attacking another badly. I put her (the bully)in solitary for several days and that fixed it but she was the only one causing a problem.

I had an older rooster decide that only his favorite hens could eat.
He got rehomed to a farm with a lot more hens to keep him busy.

 

[The Birb King]

I have seven chickens total:1 rooster, 4 adult hens and 2 chicks (about 2mths). They free range all day. When I went out to check on them three days ago, the rooster was standing next to one of the girls, she was in submissive position and he was pecking her comb and she was bleeding. Two other girls, who are now the official mean girls club and are numbers one and two on the totem pole, were standing there watching as if they were in charge of the event. At first I removed the rooster only to return to hen number one on the attack with the same girl. The terrible threesome has been in jail in the run and sleeping alone since then. My aunt who’s raised chickens her whole life says he’s trying to kill my girl and that I need to get rid of him and the mean girls will straighten up too. Just wondering about other experiences out there. Is it common for a rooster to kill a mate? This is my first time with chickens and it’s only been a year and half, I don’t have a lot of experience in chicken psychology.

This rooster has been a bit of a problem for me with attacking me and my dog. But he’s handicapped with a bad leg, so he doesn’t do much damage just more of a nuisance. I just felt like he was good with the girls and good at being a predator watch. I’m just debating on making his destiny a little shorter. I’d like to hear about the commonality of this instance and if there’s any other way to solve it.

It just means he's a bad rooster. Get rid of him and any mean hens, no point in keeping them. Every rooster definitely has hens he likes more, but he shouldn't be attacking any. My Marans rooster used to have some hens he didn't like as much and would kinda chase them away sometimes, but he's fine with them now that he's older. I had some RIR hens that would attack and torment any hen lower in the pecking order than them. They even mauled my spitzhauben and made her head bloody. Enough was enough so I got rid of them

 

[21hens-incharge]

I would not tolerate a rooster that attacks me, the dog, or another chicken. It is not good rooster behavior.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I agree with the others. Always solve for peace and safety of the flock and yourself.

 

[lagrange chicks]

Is it possible there is something wrong with the hen being attacked?
If so the others will continue to attack. I wouldn't put her back with the mean girls until she's fully recovered.

I had one hen that was attacking another badly. I put her (the bully)in solitary for several days and that fixed it but she was the only one causing a problem.

I had an older rooster decide that only his favorite hens could eat.
He got rehomed to a farm with a lot more hens to keep him busy.

I had the same problem, my picked on hen has a reproductive problem. She lays shell less eggs and the rooster must of known of the health problem and was trying to kill the hen a few times with the time she was beat up and bloody I culled the rooster. He was a great rooster with the only problem was him killing the sick hen. If I had known this hen a year later would still be having problems I would of culled her instead.

 

[LeahPruitt]

I had the same problem, my picked on hen has a reproductive problem. She lays shell less eggs and the rooster must of known of the health problem and was trying to kill the hen a few times with the time she was beat up and bloody I culled the rooster. He was a great rooster with the only problem was him killing the sick hen. If I had known this hen a year later would still be having problems I would of culled her instead.

The hen has been picked on before by the number one mean girl and got bloodied pretty bad last year. I know she doesn’t have a reproductive problem because it was one of her eggs my broody hen hatched a couple of months ago and she seems to be in very good health. My husband questioned whether she had done something to get that treatment and I don’t know about that. I just thought it was crazy a rooster would attack one of his hens he is most active with. At one point when I was in the process of switching their places so he could be in a bigger location with his mean accomplices, she got away and he ran up and mounted her! I just don’t get it.

 

[FrostRanger]

Do a health check on the hen to see if she's sick and get rid of the rooster regardless 'cause he's a garbage rooster. A rooster that attacks you or his hens should be culled but if he's doing both there's no reason to keep him at all

 

[sourland]

I would remove the rooster from the flock.

 

[ChicNmom]

The hen has been picked on before by the number one mean girl and got bloodied pretty bad last year. I know she doesn’t have a reproductive problem because it was one of her eggs my broody hen hatched a couple of months ago and she seems to be in very good health. My husband questioned whether she had done something to get that treatment and I don’t know about that. I just thought it was crazy a rooster would attack one of his hens he is most active with. At one point when I was in the process of switching their places so he could be in a bigger location with his mean accomplices, she got away and he ran up and mounted her! I just don’t get it.

I have seen a rooster get annoyed when a hen had enough of him and basically said "No". But never to the degree that she was beaten up.

I've also noticed that sometimes when I've had to pick up a hen, and she fought it, other hens would try to peck and fly at her while I was picking her up. I don't know if they think they are helping me, the dominant person or what. So maybe the mean girls were following his lead. Who know what goes on in a chickens brain. LOL

When she is well maybe let the mean girls out one at a time and see what happens. I've also seen a hen who was at the bottom of the pecking order finally decide she's had enough and start dishing out some payback.