Rooster behavior question

[MommyGirl]

This is my first chickens so I'm new to this all. I've got 24 chickens. All babies. Three are the oldest. They are 8 weeks old. 2 hens and a rooster. The rooster sometimes chases them around and pecks the hens. Is that normal? Just pecking order. Or is he going to be aggressive? All 3 are mixed chickens. The mom was american game fowl. Don't know what the dad was.

 

[donddon]

How much older are the older ones? When did you introduce the babies? How old are the babies? Are they outdoors? In a run? Do tell us more...

 

[MommyGirl]

The oldest are 8 weeks that's the ones I talked about. They are loose in coop and run. Then I got 4 americanas that are 6 weeks. They are in a dog crate in coop. And 17 more in another dog crate in coop they are 5 weeks

 

[MommyGirl]

Gonna let the 4 americanas out of crate probably this weekend. We will see how he acts towards them

 

[Folly's place]

You have youngsters, all pullets and one (?) cockerel, who's older than most of the pullets. He's going to be chasing them, and everyone needs space, multiple feeders and waterers, and places to be out of sight, so there's no serious harassment happening. If your cockerel begins to cause injuries, then that's really not good. Otherwise, it is easier to raise cockerels in flocks with mature hens and roosters, so the adolescents learn politeness and humility.
Mary

 

[MommyGirl]

I do have 2 other cockerels in the 17 batch. I will just have to watch him I guess. So when do i intervene?

 

[Folly's place]

Here we let things roll along, as long as there are no injuries, no serious fighting among the boys, and no signs of human aggression. Sit around out there and watch the show, it is entertaining! We have maybe a dozen cockerels right now, and two roosters, and the boys are learning to crow, and sparring with each other, and sometimes grabbing a pullet, who squawks and runs away. They don't try the hens, having already learned better!
Over the next weeks we will eliminate all but four of the cockerels, and things will be quieter, at least.
Do you plan to keep any of your cockerels?
Mary

 

[MommyGirl]

Here we let things roll along, as long as there are no injuries, no serious fighting among the boys, and no signs of human aggression. Sit around out there and watch the show, it is entertaining! We have maybe a dozen cockerels right now, and two roosters, and the boys are learning to crow, and sparring with each other, and sometimes grabbing a pullet, who squawks and runs away. They don't try the hens, having already learned better!
Over the next weeks we will eliminate all but four of the cockerels, and things will be quieter, at least.
Do you plan to keep any of your cockerels?
Mary

I do wish to keep the 3 cockerels if possible. I'm just alittle worried about the game cockerel. No human aggression yet. And no attack on the others yet. Just chases and gives them a peck sometimes. Then other times he just walks around with them. I just want to be aware of whats normal for pecking order. As I mix in the rest of the bunch.

 

[SueT]

The cockerels will be sexually mature before the pullets, and will harass them, grab them, mate w them. They may also start to fight among themselves. All of this stresses the flock. Best not to have too many, or to separate the boys for a while if possible.
I only have 6 pullets currently. I narrowed it down to 2 cockerels at 8 weeks, but one was so rough on the girls, he was culled. The remaining one is being watched carefully. Any human aggression, and he will be invited to a BBQ.

 

[Folly's place]

Be ready with Plan B, because trouble can pop up overnight!
Mary