Rooster being very aggressive towards hens

[JORLEE23]

Good Morning!

Our rooster is being very aggressive towards our hens.
I came out this morning to check on them and the one was limping and found the rooster trying to attack her.
This is probably the 4th one he has injured.


How do I handle this?
The poor hen is so helpless as its leg is injured which I think is from him.

 

[azygous]

Your roo is a danger and a menace. He needs to be removed from having access to the hens. Period. Accept that.

However, following that, you do have lots of options.

1. Rehome him
2. Train and discipline him. Maybe you can improve his behavior. Warning, this is a lot of work.
3. Keep him but only permit limited access to the hens, perhaps just an hour a day.
4. Keep him segregated with never any access to the hens.
5. Make soup out of him.

 

[sourland]

How old is he? If a cockerel, I would remove him from the flock until he matures. If he is an adult rooster he would go into the soup pot.

 

[SilverBirds]

He needs to go. There are so many good roosters in the world that there is no reason to put up with a bad one.

Can you post pictures of the hens leg?

 

[JORLEE23]

Your roo is a danger and a menace. He needs to be removed from having access to the hens. Period. Accept that.

However, following that, you do have lots of options.

1. Rehome him
2. Train and discipline him. Maybe you can improve his behavior. Warning, this is a lot of work.
3. Keep him but only permit limited access to the hens, perhaps just an hour a day.
4. Keep him segregated with never any access to the hens.
5. Make soup out of him.

How old is he? If a cockerel, I would remove him from the flock until he matures. If he is an adult rooster he would go into the soup pot.

He is about 3-4 months old. He has injured other ones as well I believe now. This poor hen is showing the same symptoms as the other hens that were injured. He can't use the right leg and has no balance. I put the hen down to get some water and food and he came running over and started attacking its eyes and face.

Is there a chance he is hurting because the hen is sick or?

 

[SilverBirds]

He is about 3-4 months old. He has injured other ones as well I believe now. This poor hen is showing the same symptoms as the other hens that were injured. He can't use the right leg and has no balance. I put the hen down to get some water and food and he came running over and started attacking its eyes and face.

Is there a chance he is hurting because the hen is sick or?

Have you checked for bumble foot?

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your general location into your profile people can give better-targeted advice when climate matters.

Good Morning!

Our rooster is being very aggressive towards our hens.
I came out this morning to check on them and the one was limping and found the rooster trying to attack her.
This is probably the 4th one he has injured.


How do I handle this?
The poor hen is so helpless as its leg is injured which I think is from him.

I put the hen down to get some water and food and he came running over and started attacking its eyes and face.

I'd eat him.

Yes, a hormonal young cockerel might be overzealous and injure a pullet accidentally (my mature rooster nicked a California White's huge comb recently), but this kind of viciousness is the sign of a male who will make an excellent pot of chicken soup.

How old are the girls? Are they laying yet?

What do you have for facilities? Is there plenty of "clutter" to give birds places to go to get away from aggressors?

Photos and dimensions?

If you aren't willing to eat him or, at least, want to try some rehab you really must separate him. A large dog crate would do. This is how I made a broody breaker from one. It might give you some inspiration: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/outdoor-broody-breaker.76592/

 

[Ridgerunner]

You do not have a rooster, you have an immature cockerel. You probably don't have hens either but immature pullets. Immature juveniles can behave quite a bit differently than mature chickens. Not all chickens mature as they get older but a lot do.

So what are your options?

You can isolate him for a couple of months. Set it up so they can see each other but he can't get to the others. Try it again. If this doesn't work isolate him another month before you try again. If this doesn't work by the time he's 8 months old I'd give up on this approach.

Get rid of him. That means sell him or give him away or eat him. Plenty of people have flocks without roosters though some people would not have a flock without a rooster. That's a personal decision.

Permanently keep him separated from the girls.

Since you are convinced he is injuring the others I don't see any other options.

 

[JORLEE23]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your general location into your profile people can give better-targeted advice when climate matters.





I'd eat him.

Yes, a hormonal young cockerel might be overzealous and injure a pullet accidentally (my mature rooster nicked a California White's huge comb recently), but this kind of viciousness is the sign of a male who will make an excellent pot of chicken soup.

How old are the girls? Are they laying yet?

What do you have for facilities? Is there plenty of "clutter" to give birds places to go to get away from aggressors?

Photos and dimensions?

If you aren't willing to eat him or, at least, want to try some rehab you really must separate him. A large dog crate would do. This is how I made a broody breaker from one. It might give you some inspiration: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/outdoor-broody-breaker.76592/

I am definitely not eating him.

My girls are about the same age but this one is probably my biggest hen he is attacking.
I assumed I would have to isolate him or get rid of him unfortunately.

I had some other illnesses in the flock ( 2 hens with busted legs, and one with an eye infection) now I am thinking this little buggar was the cause of it .
Is it common for roosters to injury hens legs?
All my injured hens start with a limp and then it just progresses


Thanks!

 

[3KillerBs]

I am definitely not eating him.

My girls are about the same age but this one is probably my biggest hen he is attacking.
I assumed I would have to isolate him or get rid of him unfortunately.

I had some other illnesses in the flock ( 2 hens with busted legs, and one with an eye infection) now I am thinking this little buggar was the cause of it .
Is it common for roosters to injury hens legs?
All my injured hens start with a limp and then it just progresses


Thanks!

No, not common that I know of. I've not had more than a nicked comb in my flock. But sometimes a bird is simply no good.