Rooster attacking one of the hens

[jenbrobbb]

Hi. I grew up on a farm. My grandmother always had chickens. I don't remember her rooster ever attacking one of her hens like mine is doing. I have 9 hens 1 rooster. I had them 1st. Then he came when they were grown and he was still young. They picked on him soooo bad. Well no more. He soon became ruler of the roost. But, he has decided he does not like one of the hens. She is not allowed to come out of the pen. If he sees her even start to come out, he runs and pecks her, chases her back to the pen, then scratches his feet like "ha, guess I told you". We had to put food and water in the pen but then she has gotten so weak she cannot walk. We removed her from the pen. I have her in a small area with a little fence but I want to eventually introduce her back to the pen before she gets eaten by a racoon or coyote. I may sound silly but it's a long story. My 27 year old son passed away from brain cancer, my grand daughter LOVES her chickens. We cannot do away with one of them. They are her babies and she COUNTS them. What can I do to make this silly rooster like this hen? He is not aggressive to us, only this one hen.

 

[palomino777902]

How old is your grand daughter? Can you do the ole bait and switch?

Replace the rooster? Replace the hen? Wonder what it is about the one hen? Hmmmmm

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

I have that problem with roosters but i never heard of a rooster picking on a hen. Are you sure its a hen. i have two black Australopes that live on the roost. The big guy Lucky will not let them come off of it. I feed them up there. We intend to sell them but so far no takers. They are eating and everything so I guess it will be ok. How is he with the rest of the girls. Some roosters are really rough.

 

[jenbrobbb]

My grand daughter is 7. I don't remember the type of chickens they are. I have 3 red, 3 yellow and 3 that are black and white. Yes she is a hen, she lays eggs !!! They all did just fine up until a week and a half ago. He is fine with all the other hens. Just picks on her. Can't switch them out right now. I can't find any like them!!! I have tried. Also she knows she is separated. If I killed her, I would have a VERY guilty conscience. She (my grand daughter) is very sensitive to sick things right now. She cannot go through any thing dying. I have a heck of a time with our animals and them passing. I had to hide the fact from her that my 15 year old Cockatiel died. I told her that he went to visit his femail friend to lay eggs. I don't know how long I can hold off on that one. Her turtle got so big he was destroying the aquarium. I let him go at the lake. I thought she would be happy to go visit him and see him swim. Oh brother. Will never do that again. I have a touchy situation here.

 

[palomino777902]

You know, I was thinking. Kids are really smart.
Why don't you involve your grand daughter in the solution. Explain to her what is going on, show her the poor hen, let her help decide what should happen.

She surely isn't going to want to see someone getting picked on. Kind of like kids getting picked on in school.

What do you think?

 

[jenbrobbb]

You are correct. She is VERY smart. She wants the rooster to stop attacking him and we are to find a way to do it. No other solution. She is so sensitive she cries when anything else is mentioned. We cannot see her cry one more time. She cries herself to sleep every night still and my son died Dec. 30 2006. Every night. She is also very stubborn, like her dad. We are to find a solution. And that's that !!!!!

 

[pixiechic]

Quote:
I think this is an excellent idea. A 7-yr-old is old enough to understand what's going on, and she'll feel good about being part of the solution.

As for alternatives, is there any way you can segregate the rooster in a separate pen?

 

[chookchick]

Wow, that is really hard. She is obviously not able to handle the realities of chicken life--which is chickens can be totally unpredictable! and not at all cooperative! Is it possible that the hen has some illness or weakness that is not totally obvious? The rooster might know more than we know. I really think that you should deal with the situation as best as you can, and tell her (perhaps a little white lie) when things are settled. That's what we did with our son when we ended up with 3 roosters.

 

[palomino777902]

First let me say, I am so very sorry about your son. So sorry. I can't even fathom what that is like.

Would having your granddaughter help pick out a replacement hen help?

Approach it like she will be HELPING the hen.

"Rehoming" the picked on hen. Surely there is someone who would take her. Much easier to find someone to take the hen than it is to find someone to take a roo.

Just another thought. I could give my advice and opinions all day long but I still want to acknowledge I don't know what it is like to walk in your shoes. I just hope that something one of us says here on this board will be helpful to you.