Rooster has to go...

[The Chicken People]

He just ran up and pecked a whole lot of feathers out of one of my girls the other day...so thats agressive behavior without mating...then last nite he was on another ones back and thats why we decided to seperate them!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:
I just read what you posted while I was writing. If they're all 14 weeks old it sounds typical. Your roo-boy is ready to go but your girls aren't. So when he tries to mate with them they probably emit pathetic squawks & shrieks and struggle to get away. You may just want to separate him, maybe just during the days, for another 6 weeks or so. Or really, if he's not causing bloodshed, just let them be. When the pullets are old enough to begin to lay they'll be much more receptive & agreeable to his attentions.

I really don't think that early attempts at mating will cause a pullet to begin to lay too soon. And red spots in the eggs are NOT caused by roosters! They can be found in both fertile and sterile eggs. It's just a fleck of blood from inside the egg-making apparatus, often found in fresh eggs but rarely in store eggs because they fade with age.

So maybe your rooster does NOT have to go...

 

[The Chicken People]

Wow so just keep them apart during the day? I will try this and see what happens...I will keep my roo penned while the girls play and then switch them..I let them free range while I am home!! Thanks for the help on this matter I am learning more and more everyday!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

There's always more to learn about chicken keeping, that's why I

BYC so much.

I suggested keeping the roo separated during the day because he shouldn't be trying to mate with them at night. Just keep an eye on his behavior around the hens. Is he mean otherwise to them? When you toss in treats will he call buk-buk-buk to alert the girls or just gobble it up himself? Does he try to court them by dropping his wings & dancing around them? Does he keep an eye for predators, sounding an alarm if a bird flies over? Some of this behavior should come as he continues to mature, if it's not already present.

I hope you get to keep him, I like having roosters together with my hens.

 

[twzlrwho]

Isn't pulling feathers out a little extreme? I have some roos that are just trying to mate and they understand that no means no..LOL. They never pull feathers out.

What breed is the aggressor? Some breeds are just more aggressive. I noticed you had Lakenvelders in your sig. I had a Lakenvelder roo that was mean as all get out. Needless to say he made a great soup. LOL

 

[The Chicken People]

Some of those behaviours are present like looking out for predators..hes always trying to herd them into the coop and run like before they would normally turn in at night! I Love BYC and its members...everything I havent learned in a book I can ask on here!! I am gonna talk to hubby tonite about possibly keeping him...he is gorgeous!! pic of him when younger on my page! Thanks for the help..I will post after I try to talk my hubby into not eating him!!

 

[twzlrwho]

Quote:
This is great advice. I look for the same things in my roos.

 

[The Chicken People]

Oh He is a Buff Orpington! And way bigger than all the rest his own age! I can tell my Lakenvelders are definetly girls!! So is my bantam and other BO! I only questioned him ...no longer a question since hes definetly a roo! And my RIRs are the ones I couldnt tell! That website helped on determining their probably girls!!

 

[twzlrwho]

I looked at your pic and he is handsome. I love my BO's and they can definately be little buggers going through their teen years. Hopefully he will grow out of it for you and you can keep him.

Best wishes.

 

[monathequeen]

I had two Roosters and nine hens. The two roo's fought and it got real ugly so I gave -up my beautiful Roo to a friend who wanted to start raising chickens. He told me he had a chicken coop all set up for the Rooster. I was relieved to have a good home for 'LUCKY"
I named him Lucky because he had Frostbite on his entire head and almost died. I nursed him back to health and keept him inside until he was able to go back out.
I had to give him water with a spoon and feed him by hand because he was so bloated, his head was dragging on the floor. He couldn't lift his head up to eat or drink. He survived and was "Lucky" to be alive.
After too much fighting like I said earlier, I gave him up.
He was neglected by his new owner and starved to death. Living alone in a field with a makeshift coop. The owner lied to me and told me he was bitten by a snake. The owner was the "SNAKE"
I regret giving him up and miss him so much. If you have too many Roosters, seperate the roosters from the hens and keep the roos all together in a seperate pen. They will learn how to get along.
My friend has five roos all in one pen and they all get along fine.
It's an option if you can't part with them. I will NEVER give up my birds again. I will do whatever I can possibly do to keep harmony in the bunch.