Rooster behavior

[cinderbay]

I have 12 chickens. 11 hens, 1 rooster.
They are all 16 weeks of age.
Lately, the roo has been bossy/aggressive to half the flock. Not allowing them to mingle with his other girls. Often not letting them leave the coop. Chasing them right back in.
These are free-range birds on 10 acres of land.
What is going on? Is there anything I can do?

 

[ksbkeys]

I have 12 chickens. 11 hens, 1 rooster.
They are all 16 weeks of age.
Lately, the roo has been bossy/aggressive to half the flock. Not allowing them to mingle with his other girls. Often not letting them leave the coop. Chasing them right back in.
These are free-range birds on 10 acres of land.
What is going on? Is there anything I can do?

I am not sure...I had a Roo who kept some of the girls in the coop and would even sit on eggs as if demonstrating and then get up and cluck and obviously urge them to do the same.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Oh, those mixed up teen age hormone times. At 7 months ours is settling down and becoming quite the flock tender.

 

[cinderbay]

Oh, those mixed up teen age hormone times. At 7 months ours is settling down and becoming quite the flock tender.

That’s what it was wondering. If this was a teenage phase

 

[Tired old Rooster]

He's not a roo, he is a cockerel. Expect all sorts of bizarre stuff until he figures himself out. As long as know one is getting injured or otherwise harmed, watch and laugh.

 

[cinderbay]

He's not a roo, he is a cockerel. Expect all sorts of bizarre stuff until he figures himself out. As long as know one is getting injured or otherwise harmed, watch and laugh.

Young roo, cockerel.. I meant the same thing.
It is a hoot watching him race across the yard when he sees one of them try to exit the coop. Today, I am happy to report, they are ALL roaming but he is being watchful of where they are. Thus far he has not harmed any of them. He is otherwise a pretty decent young man. Not as cuddly as I had hoped he would be but he comes running to me when I call him and feeds out of my hand.
We've never had a rooster in the flock in our 8 years of chicken-owning. I really like him.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Seems like you have a winner there. Won't be long before he is making their bed/nest, standing guard while they lay eggs etc. He will naturally want to mate with them and even that will give you some hilarious episodes of Chicken TV.

 

[mossyoakpro]

Seems like you have a winner there. Won't be long before he is making their bed/nest, standing guard while they lay eggs etc. He will naturally want to mate with them and even that will give you some hilarious episodes of Chicken TV.

I've been watching mine pretty closely this week because I thought he might go rogue but he has started to do his "rooster" stuff. He calls the pullets over when he finds something to eat(some don't fall for it yet) and just yesterday he found a frog and brought it across the yard and gave it to one of the others....anything that flies over no matter the size he makes this funny sound and everybody dives for cover! I really hope he stays nice and does not try anything stupid with me so I can keep him....he's becoming quite the handsome young man too. Mine free range all day every day so I really need a rooster to do his job when I can't be there.

 

[Mrs. K]

No, I don't think there is anything you can do. He will either get better or worse.