Rooster behavior - what’s normal?

[KRack]

I’m ready to remove our rooster today (he may still be a cockerel, idk when that changes), but wanted opinions here first if possible.

About 3 months ago my rooster attacked one of my hens. I think it’s because she was molting and her neck was exposed, so we went after it. It took her a while to heal. At that time I put him on time out in his own coop. Just yesterday after finally feeling sorry for him, I decided to give him one last try. I let them out this morning and the hens don’t even want to come out of the coop. Once they try to, he chases them, mates them, and then sometimes chases them again to mate them again. He’s just too much of that, without any good qualities to balance him out.

He’s almost a year old right now, so it might just be hormones, but I’m over it.

He was raised under one of my hens, and I had high hopes for him. But he picks favorites, totally ostracizes some of the girls so they can’t hardly even be with the group, and tried to kill one of them once already.

Is this normal behavior?

 

[LizzzyJo]

From my experince that is average “bad roo” behavior. Could you possibly reform him through time, persistence, and hard work? Maybe. Would I try? No. I am on my 5th rooster now and he is a dream. The others did crap like this and I didn’t stand for it. I’ve seen a lot of it be just genetic. The teenage time is rough, but attacking a hen is not justifiable in my mind and is bad roo behavior, not teenage normal behavior.

 

[KRack]

From my experince that is average “bad roo” behavior. Could you possibly reform him through time, persistence, and hard work? Maybe. Would I try? No. I am on my 5th rooster now and he is a dream. The others did crap like this and I didn’t stand for it. I’ve seen a lot of it be just genetic. The teenage time is rough, but attacking a hen is not justifiable in my mind and is bad roo behavior, not teenage normal behavior.

Thank you!

 

[triciayoung]

You could put him in a bachelor pad. Do you have another rooster?

 

[KRack]

You could put him in a bachelor pad. Do you have another rooster?

What’s a bachelor pad? No I don’t have another rooster.

Honestly I’m tired of taking care of two coops. I wanted him to serve the purpose that a good rooster is supposed to. Flock protection and fertilized eggs. I don’t want to worry about protecting my flock from my rooster.

 

[Isadora]

At nearly a year old, this kind of behavior is not excusable, in my opinion. I would expect that kind of behavior from a cockerel who was just coming into his hormones, maybe a 4 or 5 month year old.
And as a FYI, a cockerel becomes a rooster at 1 year of age.

 

[KRack]

At nearly a year old, this kind of behavior is not excusable, in my opinion. I would expect that kind of behavior from a cockerel who was just coming into his hormones, maybe a 4 or 5 month year old.
And as a FYI, a cockerel becomes a rooster at 1 year of age.

Thank you! This is good to know.

 

[KRack]

Thanks everyone, this makes my decision easier!

 

[Mrs. K]

A good rooster is a joy. A rotten rooster is a pain...you have a rotten rooster, even your girls don't like him. Cull him. You will wonder why it took you so long to do so.

 

[LizzzyJo]

When I had my first bad rooster I let it go on too long. After I culled him I was sad. Then I went out to my flock and they came up to me happily - and I was able to sit in the grass and play with them - for the first time in months - without fear. You don’t realize what bad Roos take from you until they’re gone and the stress from the girls and you is released. It’s like coming up from a deep dive and breathing in the fresh air.