Rooster fighting other rooster and hens

[jmclain1999]

Hello, I am brand new to raising chickens so I had some questions about my rooster's behavior. I have 16 chickens that were born in February, so about 4 months old; they all grew up together from the time that they were hatched. These are egg laying chickens and will not be killed at any point, when they stop laying eggs, they will live out their lives as pets; the roosters are strictly pets as well. They have been getting along until recently, when one of my roosters (I have 2 for sure and maybe a third one..can't quite tell yet) started getting incredibly aggressive towards everyone, especially my other rooster. The aggressive rooster is an Easter Egger, Dixie, and my non aggressive rooster is a speckled sussex, Harley; Harley is a bit crippled, he has curved toes that we didn't catch when he was young, he is normal other than that- very kind to everyone, occasionally pecks if someone bothers him. Yesterday I found Dixie chasing Harley and I stopped it quickly and kicked Dixie, but he's been doing this a lot recently and to the hens as well. My question is, is there a way to stop this behavior? Dixie is my baby and loves to be picked up and held but only by me, he will peck my dad hard. It would kill me to get rid of him but I have to keep the other chickens in mind. Any suggestions would be great! Thank you.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

Might want to rehome or throw in a stew! Unless you get another coop and put some hens in with it

 

[Ducksandchickens]

Hello, I am brand new to raising chickens so I had some questions about my rooster's behavior. I have 16 chickens that were born in February, so about 4 months old; they all grew up together from the time that they were hatched. These are egg laying chickens and will not be killed at any point, when they stop laying eggs, they will live out their lives as pets; the roosters are strictly pets as well. They have been getting along until recently, when one of my roosters (I have 2 for sure and maybe a third one..can't quite tell yet) started getting incredibly aggressive towards everyone, especially my other rooster. The aggressive rooster is an Easter Egger, Dixie, and my non aggressive rooster is a speckled sussex, Harley; Harley is a bit crippled, he has curved toes that we didn't catch when he was young, he is normal other than that- very kind to everyone, occasionally pecks if someone bothers him. Yesterday I found Dixie chasing Harley and I stopped it quickly and kicked Dixie, but he's been doing this a lot recently and to the hens as well. My question is, is there a way to stop this behavior? Dixie is my baby and loves to be picked up and held but only by me, he will peck my dad hard. It would kill me to get rid of him but I have to keep the other chickens in mind. Any suggestions would be great! Thank you.

 

[kwhites634]

Hello, I am brand new to raising chickens so I had some questions about my rooster's behavior. I have 16 chickens that were born in February, so about 4 months old; they all grew up together from the time that they were hatched. These are egg laying chickens and will not be killed at any point, when they stop laying eggs, they will live out their lives as pets; the roosters are strictly pets as well. They have been getting along until recently, when one of my roosters (I have 2 for sure and maybe a third one..can't quite tell yet) started getting incredibly aggressive towards everyone, especially my other rooster. The aggressive rooster is an Easter Egger, Dixie, and my non aggressive rooster is a speckled sussex, Harley; Harley is a bit crippled, he has curved toes that we didn't catch when he was young, he is normal other than that- very kind to everyone, occasionally pecks if someone bothers him. Yesterday I found Dixie chasing Harley and I stopped it quickly and kicked Dixie, but he's been doing this a lot recently and to the hens as well. My question is, is there a way to stop this behavior? Dixie is my baby and loves to be picked up and held but only by me, he will peck my dad hard. It would kill me to get rid of him but I have to keep the other chickens in mind. Any suggestions would be great! Thank you.

Super Soaker

 

[TheTwoRoos]

It’s best to Seperate all young males until they mature till about eight months.Think that would be your best bet.Also giving the crippled rooster a cage alone with a few hens would be a good idea.Sounds like all your other males can get out his way.Your witnissing normal male behavior.The subordinate roosters will avoid the dominant.Just Seperate all the males until they mature.Keep all the males that get along together.

 

[chickendreams24]

He's mature and asserting his dominance. Soon he will begin mounting the hens.

Post photos of your other possible cockeral so we can let you know. Two young cockerals with all their hormones will be rough on your girls(they may need to be separated for a few months to cool down their hormones). Three would be way too many and I would recommend reducing the number.

It's good they've been raised together but there will still be some scuffles and chasing.

When young cockerals start breeding it can be hard to watch for some people that don't understand it and that are very sensitive.

You may eventually have to reduce the number to one cockeral.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Remember,even if raised together there can still be some tension and even death.Have had brothers try killing each other before.

 

[aart]

so about 4 months old

He's mature and asserting his dominance.

He is just starting to become sexually mature.
This where Romance meets Reality for rookie chickeneers...
...when young cockerels become 'romantic'.
It can be brutal.
Multiple males can make it exponentially worse.
If you don't want to get rid of any of the males,
follow @TheTwoRoos separation advice above.
The pullets will be very grateful, as they won't become sexually mature(lay eggs) for another couple months.

FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

 

[lazy gardener]

As usual, Aart gives spot on advice. I might add, that you have an added complication with Harley's crippled toes. It's normal flock behavior to drive out or even kill a bird that is perceived to be weak or ill. So, there's that... in addition to normal cockerel/roo aggression, which as others have stated: can go along just fine, until it doesn't. It's a common occurrence that 2 cockerels will be best buddies one day, only to have you go out to tend the birds the following morning and find that one of the cockerels has been scalped by the other. That happened with my first flock. (4 bantams 50 years ago!)

As for your cockerels being your cuddle pets, while being aggressive to your dad: It's often the cockerels who are turned into pets who become human aggressive b/c the line between animal and human has been crossed. Chickens function mainly on instinct. This is very different than a dog or cat who is capable of higher functioning mental skills. You can make a pet of a male dog, but the likelihood of a rooster remaining human friendly when he's been turned into a pet is much less likely. That he is already showing aggression to your dad tells me that this is the direction he is headed.

I don't want to rain on your "birds are forever pets" plan. But, I want to bring up this: Hens often become ill with reproductive abnormalities which leads to incurable pain and decline in health. You might want to think about how you will handle that WHEN, not IF it happens. Consider whether it's in the bird's best interest to give her a mercy culling, or let her suffer in pain.