Rooster behavior in my hens

[debid]

She started to lay again and is now acting like a hen with me.  She flip flops in her behavior with me but stays the same with the girls.

 

If you can have a rooster where you are, it might help if she's still being too rough. I know mine mediated disputes between the ladies as part of his duties.

 

[hennotrooster]

I wouldn't put too much stock in that article. There are lots of folks with all-hen flocks where none of them mount or crow. We had a rooster and when he was removed, the hens had a shake up of the order. Some of his duties are now shared (keeping a lookout on the sky, calling when food is located, herding wanderers, etc.) but never have any of them crowed nor do they mount or dance.

Oh, and one of the hens used to fight him for dominance even though they were raised together. He didn't take the challenges very seriously and she backed down every time. Some hens are just full of themselves.

Once we got rid of our roo a few days later Rachel (his side kick) started to take his place. First she was just rounding them up and making sure they got into the coop at dusk. She was mounting them while her sister stood at their heads and pecked at them. The younger hens were always running from Rachel. If you scroll up to post #6 there are picture of the younger hens and one of her. It got to the point where she was plucking feathers and drew blood on one of them. Our roo was never as aggressive as she is. She does mount and dance, the only thing she does not do is crow. My father in law and some older friends have told me that they have never seen a hen act like she does. We had to remove her into a yard of her own she is just mean. And yes, we did try to remove her for a few days and re introduce her to the flock but it was as if she never left. As soon as she was put back into the yard the other hens stressed and left the area where she was. Feeding time was awful as she would not allow any of them near the food even after she was pretty much done she still chased them away. The only one that she does not bestow this behavior on is her sister. She has never mounted her, a couple of times she did strike at her while eating and she got pecked back pretty good. Phoebe will stand up to Rachel. At times she will (when I go into her yard) drop her wing and dance just like the roo did. Other times she will squat, fluff up and open her tail feathers. Suggestions on the behavior are welcome. Oh and when the dancing is going on she does not lay.

 

[Pathfinders]

I wouldn't put too much stock in that article. There are lots of folks with all-hen flocks where none of them mount or crow. We had a rooster and when he was removed, the hens had a shake up of the order. Some of his duties are now shared (keeping a lookout on the sky, calling when food is located, herding wanderers, etc.) but never have any of them crowed nor do they mount or dance.

Oh, and one of the hens used to fight him for dominance even though they were raised together. He didn't take the challenges very seriously and she backed down every time. Some hens are just full of themselves.

Well, I had a hen who crowed. Heard her myself. Little tiny Dutch Bantam hen. Funniest thing in the world.