Rooster being mean to hens

[chicksducks1]

Hello! I got my rooster probably two months ago, he's a year and a few months old. I got him for flock protection since I let my girls free range most of the time. However since I got him I've noticed my girls have decreased in egg laying and my buff Orpington has quit laying almost completely. I've notice a superficial cut on her creast as well. I noticed that any time the roo is around her she seems slightly more stressed. I've seen him chase all my girls off the treats a couple times if I don't stay next to the girls to prevent the chasing. I have a hen that has always been "special". She doesn't walk right, seems to not all be there in her head but the sweetest hen ever. I'm very worried that he picks on her although I haven't seen any actual bullying. I've never had a rooster before so I'm not sure if this is all normal behavior. I'm not sure if I'm just being overly protective over my girls or if I'm right with my worries. If he is bullying what should I do? Sorry for the lengthy post! Thanks so much!

 

[eggbert420]

How many hens do you have? Are you sure he is being mean? He may just be being a rooster they don't take their girl two the movies and out to dinner. They take what they want like the bad guys you hear about on the nightly news.

 

[chicksducks1]

How many hens do you have? Are you sure he is being mean? He may just be being a rooster they don't take their girl two the movies and out to dinner. They take what they want like the bad guys you hear about on the nightly news.

At the moment 4 that he's with since my sisters dog got a hold of the other two that were with them he peaks them and chases them around sometimes even when he isn't trying to breed. I'm not sure if it's just him being a rooster or if he's being mean. I'm just worried because my girls seem a little more stressed.

 

[chicksducks1]

How many hens do you have? Are you sure he is being mean? He may just be being a rooster they don't take their girl two the movies and out to dinner. They take what they want like the bad guys you hear about on the nightly news.

I have 7 chicks that are fully feathered, I'm just waiting for them to get bigger before integrating them.

 

[eggbert420]

Sounds like he is just a mean rooster. Does he attack you?

 

[chicksducks1]

Sounds like he is just a mean rooster. Does he attack you?

He tries daily. It's a normal occurnce him trying, me chasing him off.

 

[eggbert420]

If you don't need him to breed. You might want to cull him.

 

[Seabright12]

I have a similar situation with my one-year old roo being overly aggressive while mating the hens. I've got saddles on the worst ones but he is still plucking out the feathers on their heads. He's tried to attack me a few times but it's pretty rare. I think if he attacked me daily, I'd be completely done with him. I'm separating him to see if he calms down after a while. Then again, I've also read that roosters don't really change. We'll see!

 

[eggbert420]

They get meaner as they get older.

 

[Seabright12]

Darn. I was hoping this was a teenage rooster stage that he might outgrow. I guess I should get rid of him before I get more attached.