Rooster Eating Baby Chicks :'(

[donrae]

My roosters have always been more protective of the babies. I would not keep a roo that did that, and I would think twice about letting that hen brood again if she can't/won't protect her babies. I like to keep broody in with the others, the older hens might peck at the babies once in a while but if it's more than a "I'm bigger than you so get outta my way" hit the momma's all over the other hen, even if the other hen is usually above her in rank. It's the momma bear thing--don't mess with my babies. I'd get rid of the roo, as stated those are not genes you want to pass on and nice roos are easy to come by.

 

[mohillbilly]

I would get rid of the roo and when the little ones were big enough i would get rid of the hen since she doesn't do her job.

 

[stone_family3]

That rooster would be gone the minute I found out it was happening. IMO roos should be protecting not killing their flock.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I've only had one bird eat chicks, and that was one of my broody BOs. She ate each chick as it hatched. I was honestly so disturbed by it that I culled her. She had 2 BO sisters that sat on and hatched a TON of chicks at the same time as her with no problems. My roosters have never been a threat to chicks (but mine have been breeds like: Silkie, EE, Chentechler). All of them loved babies. My Silkie roo would babysit. He would sit on chicks while whatever broody took a break. A good rooster should protect the chicks, call them over for tidbits of food, mine will even put their face down to the babies and let them peck at their combs and wattles. A rooster that displayed that type of behavior would be soup at my house. I have a 10 month old Cochin cockerel that had never seen a chick. I let everyone out to free range the other day, and he went straight to the brooding hutch and started picking up treats and making his bawk bawk noises to them. Good luck with whatever you decide to do...

 

[kathyinmo]

That is very unusual behavior. As a matter of fact, my roosters are very protective over broody hens with chicks. It is other hens that are a bother. I trust my roosters with broody hens with chicks. Never been a problem here.

 

[Happy Chooks]

My roosters have always been more protective of the babies. I would not keep a roo that did that, and I would think twice about letting that hen brood again if she can't/won't protect her babies. I like to keep broody in with the others, the older hens might peck at the babies once in a while but if it's more than a "I'm bigger than you so get outta my way" hit the momma's all over the other hen, even if the other hen is usually above her in rank. It's the momma bear thing--don't mess with my babies. I'd get rid of the roo, as stated those are not genes you want to pass on and nice roos are easy to come by.

Ditto

 

[AmyLM]

While I cannot speak from experience on this issue... I can say this. If I knew ANY of the birds hen/roo cannibalized they would be gone in way shape or form as that isn't something that I would want passed on. If you breed for temperament I would get rid of the cannibal right away.

 

[Fly Be Free]

Wouldn't tolerate it. If you can't re home them as "pets" then I'd rid myself of the roo and the hen. That's just nasty.

 

[hummingbird8]

Our chicks one morning just vanished, do the rosters eat everything?
then this morning he attacked another killing him. We think he is the reason we are now down 8 chicks and I have 6 very sad kids.
what should I do, start over?

 

[Jimtherunner]

I have only welsummer birds. added 17 chicks to the flock and released them in coop where they were also brooded for one week in sight of the flock. Happy to report no one is harassing them unless they go to the feeders when the big girls are there. The Roos are very protective as well. Also now have two broody hens in the coop. My chicks are 6 weeks old and my flock is 10 months old.