Rooster eats first

[R1ley]

I have a rooster who is around 6 months old now, I recently got a hen a few weeks ago who is probably 7 months old now and is slightly bigger than him, and so far whenever I go out to feed them he always eats first, and will peck and chase the hen away when she is eating and will eat her food. I've tried to solve this by giving them separate containers but my rooster just goes over to my hens food and chases her then eats it after he eats his food. He does still leave some for her though so she isn't starving, she usually sneaks over to eat when my rooster is interested in something else or he's laying on my lap and can't see her, but sometimes if he does see her he'll run over and she will run away from the food.

He does also like chasing her around a bit, though they do get along sometimes because they cuddle together in the chicken coop and my hen follows him around. My hen is really shy though and she never stands up for herself, but she is very sweet. So I was wondering is there anything I can do about this to make my rooster more friendly to her? I always thought the rooster was suppose to let the hens eat first and find food for them but my rooster has never done that

 

[eggbert420]

When he realizes that thats his woman he will be nice to her.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

He is young still doesnt really know what he is doing.My rooster will chase certain hens from treats,its just the way some are.

 

[lazy gardener]

When he realizes that thats his woman he will be nice to her.

He is being a teen age jerk. He is food dominant. A good roo lets his ladies eat first. Granted, he's young, but his behavior is unacceptable in this area. I'd stand guard over the food, and chase HIM away from it and let her eat first.

You might want to re-assess your treatment of him. treating him like a lap pet can come to no good end in the long run. You might want to read this post by my friend Bee kissed regarding management of an aggressive rooster... or how to prevent HAVING an aggressive rooster:

I'm going to give you a clue on "rooster speak"....holding him down doesn't mean anything to him. If you'll watch how roosters interact between dominant ones and subordinate ones, there is rarely any, if ever, holding a bird down for a long time when there is an altercation. There is very quick flogging, gripping by the back of the head and flinging him away or getting him down and giving some savage pecking to the back of the head or neck. No holding him down and nothing else. That's a rooster on a hen maneuver, not rooster on rooster.
Because your rooster is attacking you, you are the subordinate in this picture. You are getting dominated by your bird simply because you are walking where a subordinate isn't supposed to be walking when a dominant is in the area. What you never see is a dominant rooster getting attacked by a subordinate rooster unless there is going to be a definite shift in power, at which time the sub will challenge the dom and win...or lose. So far you are losing and not even challenging.
If you want to win this battle, you must go on the offensive, not the defensive. He who attacks first, and is still claiming the area when the other guy leaves it, is the winner. Some people never have to go on the offensive because their movements in the coop are so decisive that they move and act like a dominant and a 2 ft. rooster is smart enough to recognize a dominant attitude and behavior...which is likely why he's never attacked your husband. Most men move more decisively than do women and children and they rarely step around a bird, but walk through them.
Carrying him around also doesn't mean anything to him...it just doesn't translate at all. His environment is that coop and run floor and that's where you need to speak to him, in a language he understands. Because they are quick on their feet and can evade you, you need a training tool like a long, limber, supple rod of some kind...cutting a nice switch from a shrub or tree that will lengthen your reach by 5 ft. really helps in this. Don't use a rake or broom because they are too clumsy and stiff and can put the hurts on the guy when you don't really mean to.
When you enter your coop, walk with decisive movements and walk directly towards your rooster. Move him away from the feeder and the rest of the flock and keep a slow, determined pressure on him until he leaves the coop. The stick will help you guide him. Then...wait patiently while he gets his bird mind around what just happened. He will try to come back in the coop...let him. When he gets a good bit into that coop, take your switch and give him a good smack on the fluffy feathers under his tail if you can aim it well. If you cannot, just smack the floor near him very hard and fast until he hops and runs and keep at it until he leaves the coop once again. Repeat this process until he is too wary to come back in the coop.
Feed your hens. When he tries to come to the feeder, you "attack" him with the switch...smack the wall by the pop door just as he tries to enter. If he makes it inside, pursue him with the stick either smacking the floor or tapping him on the back or the head until he leaves in a hurry. Make him stay outside while you sit there and enjoy watching your hens eat. Use the stick to keep him from the flock..just him. Don't worry about the hens running and getting excited when this is happening...they will get over it. This is for the future of your flock and your management of it.
When the hens have had a good tucker....leave the coop and let him come back in. Go out later and walk through that flock and use your legs to scatter birds if they get in your way...top roosters do not step to one side for any other bird in the flock. You shouldn't either. Take your stick and startle him with a smack on the floor next to him when he is least expecting it...make that bird jump and RUN. Make him so nervous around you that he is always looking over his shoulder and trying to get out of your way. THAT'S how he needs to be from now on in your lives together. Forget about pets or cuddles...this is a language and behavior he understands. You can hand feed him and such later...right now you need to establish that when you move, he moves...away. When you turn your back, he doesn't move towards you...ever.
Then test him...take your stick along, move around in the coop, bend over with your back turned to him, feed, water, etc....but keep one eye on that rooster. If he even makes one tiny step in your direction or in your "zone", go on the attack and run him clear on out of the coop. Then keep him out while everyone else is eating.
THAT'S how a dominant rooster treats a subordinate. They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him. At any given time the dominant will run him off of that feed and he knows it, so he eats with one eye toward the door. If he feels the need to crow, it's not usually where the dom can reach him...maybe across the yard.
If your rooster crows while you are there, move towards him and keep on the pressure until he stops. He doesn't get to crow while you are there. He can crow later...not while you are there.
It all sounds time consuming but it really isn't...shouldn't take more than minutes for each lesson and you can learn a lot as you go along. And it can be fun if you venture into it with the right attitude....this is rooster training that really works if you do it correctly. This can work on strange roosters, multiple roosters and even old roosters...they can all learn. You rule the coop...now act like it. Carrying is for babies...you have a full grown rooster on your hands, not a baby.

 

[R1ley]

he isn't that aggressive though, he only pecks the hen when there's food around because he wants it for himself but when he's done he will let her eat unless he gets hungry again and she's still at the food. otherwise they get along okay and he's never attacked or chased a person before so what you said is kinda overboard

also he is a pet he comes in the house and if you call his name he will come and he follows me around and sleeps on my lap

 

[eggbert420]

he isn't that aggressive though, he only pecks the hen when there's food around because he wants it for himself but when he's done he will let her eat unless he gets hungry again and she's still at the food. otherwise they get along okay and he's never attacked or chased a person before so what you said is kinda overboard


also he is a pet he comes in the house and if you call his name he will come and he follows me around and sleeps on my lap

I dont No what lazy Gardener is talking about. He or she must have posted to the wrong thread, or didnt read the first post at all. If the rooster is not breeding with that hen,He will be much nicer to her once he starts to breed her. And call her over whenever there are treats on the ground most roosters do

 

[donrae]

I agree he's young, and sounds like the hen hasn't been around very long. The rooster has been raised by himself? I think he just doesn't know flock manners, and will have to learn.

The birds should have feed available pretty much all day, so he shouldn't need to chase her off. I see pulling the food up at night due to rodents, etc, but why don't they have free access during the day? I think that would solve a lot of problems.

I'd say give him time, also. He's young. See how things are in a month or two.

 

[azygous]

He hasn't earned the title of "rooster" yet. He's a cockerel. He's only just now coming into his hormones, and his behavior may be a bit different from here on than what you've been used to. Some cockerels go through a very drastic personality change, while others only have minor changes. But it would be in his best interests as well as yours to take a hands off approach to him over the next three or four months.

He may have been a cuddly chick, and he may be cuddly for the time being, but hormones can change all that. He will begin seeing the opposite sex in a different light, and it could be confusing to him for a while. If he becomes confused in his role and confused with your role, he could become aggressive. Ignoring him will give him the space he needs to sort things out without having to resort to aggression.

Most young cockerels have no clue as to manners around hens until they've settled into their hormones and role in the flock, around eleven or twelve months. You will see a big change come over him then, and hopefully he'll display the kind of manners that will make you proud.

 

[R1ley]

I agree he's young, and sounds like the hen hasn't been around very long. The rooster has been raised by himself? I think he just doesn't know flock manners, and will have to learn.

The birds should have feed available pretty much all day, so he shouldn't need to chase her off. I see pulling the food up at night due to rodents, etc, but why don't they have free access during the day? I think that would solve a lot of problems.

I'd say give him time, also. He's young. See how things are in a month or two.

he was raised by his mum for several weeks with other chickens on a farm before i got him, but yeah this is my first hen and i only got her a few weeks ago but over time he has gotten more tolerant of her being around lol.

yep they do have feed and i leave it out all day for them + give them veges/a bit of fruit every morning and afternoon before they go to bed, so they always have access to food : p

 

[SinnahSaint]

They don't let them crow, mate or even eat in their space. If the subordinate knows his place and watches over his shoulder a lot, he may get to come and eat while the other rooster is at the feeder...but he doesn't ever relax if he knows what is good for him.

I know this thread is old but I was hoping you could tell me, my rooster used to be second fiddle at his old coop. He moved to my house with 4 hens and has only been spotted mating a hen once, and also chases them off the food.

If I went with your plan, would he still grow into the rooster I want that feeds the hens and mates them regularly? or would he turn into some mean bird who over or under mates depending on if people are looking and chasing the hens off food again as soon as my back is turned?