Cinnaminute
Songster
Hi, I'm new to having roosters. Honestly, new to chickens. June marks the 2 year mark since I got my first 6 EE hens. And by June I'll have had my 2 roosters for 1 year. I'm still learning so much.
There's a behavior I've been seeing from one of my two roosters, Truffles. I officially added him to the his flock back in December after a long period of safe no-touch introduction. I understand he's been working on establishing his leadership in the flock. But he's allowing his favorite hen, Hazel, to bully other hens and seems to even be promoting it. He mates a hen and remains standing on her while Hazel pecks her. However, there are no injuries besides some missing feathers. But this has just recently caused the latest pecking order victim to avoid eating and I've had to intervene to make sure she got food.
Truffles and Hazel grew up together. They are the youngest in the flock, being only 11 months old. The other 9 hens in the flock consisted of my 6 EEs who are almost 2 years old, 1 RIR who is 1 year 2 months, and 2 Leghorns that are 1 year 2 months.
My other rooster was integrated into his flock in a very similar manner. He and two Polish hens added to an older flock of 6 hens. The tiny Polish he favors. Maybe its her size, but she never gave anyone trouble except the rooster himself. She bosses him around a lot.
Anyway, head hen Zelda accepted Truffles, so she'd squat for him and Hazel let her be because nobody messed with Zelda.
However, when my RIR Marcy accepted him, I found that Hazel would charge in while he mated Marcy and peck her in the face while she was down. Truffles did nothing to stop it. After a few weeks, this stopped. I suspect Hazel rose in pecking order over Marcy. Marcy has always been very friendly and easy-going so I see why she was the first target.
The EEs and Leghorns were the next targets for this behavior. Hazel tends to pick one girl to torment until, I guess, she's dominated the girl? Generally the hens mingle fine with Hazel, but Hazel sticks close to Truffles at all times. When Truffles is getting hot-to-trot for mating, everyone flees. They try to run away from both Truffles and Hazel. I would think after 4 months, this would have calmed down. Only Zelda & Marcy wouldn't run since they would squat for him and Hazel already sorted out her positions with them.
I've let it be so far since chickens are chickens. I understand they have a complex social heirarchy and I guess if Truffles is set on having Hazel be head hen, perhaps his judgment is as sound as a chicken's judgment can be.
But to me, Hazel has become a bully and is making life troublesome for everyone. She's a sweetheart with people, one of my tamest and easiest to handle. But she's just awful with her flockmates. I've caught her darting across the yard just to rip out a mouthful of feathers from Marcy. I've seen her jump and rip feathers out from Marcy while she was roosting. Marcy is going bald on her butt and belly. Only Marcy. Because of Hazel.
This week I discovered that my EE, Kiki, is the latest victim. A few days ago I had to bring Kiki in because she was walking around slowly. Turns out her crop was empty and she wouldn't eat around the others. Once inside and alone, she gorged on food and immediately perked up. Today, Hazel made a nest in a remote place to lay. Truffles watched over her. Later, when Kiki needed to lay, Truffles led her to that nest and watched over her the whole time. About an hour after she was done laying, I heard a ruckus in the yard. Dog barking, a chicken was yelling. I go check it out to find that Truffles was just standing on Kiki's back keeping her pinned to the ground. She couldn't move or get up. Hazel was pecking her. Kiki was yelling. I chased them off her and she got away. I put them in the run away from her. She was panting so heavily, poor girl. Checked her crop. Again she hadn't been eating. With them two locked up, she finally ate.
To make matters worse, my head hen Zelda passed away 10 days ago (suspected heart attack, not egg bound, died in the nesting box). The EEs only respected Zelda. They're stressed enough from losing her and I'm sure they feel uneasy not having someone over them that they respect. From what I understand of my flock, Kiki is runner up. She was the only one who dared to quarrel with Zelda. So it makes sense she would become a target now.
At this point I'm considering rehoming Truffles and Hazel to a flock that could handle them. But I'm also hesitant in doing so. I understand the EEs are very headstrong girls who are being very stubborn in accepting Truffles, but stuff like this worries me. Most of the time, though, I see everyone getting along so well together while they forage, eat, follow me to beg for treats, etc. which makes me think I'm overreacting. After all, there haven't been any injuries. But I know that can change one day, too.
Any thoughts? What would you all do? I could try isolating Hazel from the flock since she's the bully and see if things quiet down? She seems to be the biggest issue. Truffles' only main flaw is he's a bit too hot-to-trot. In the mornings he's chasing the ladies around like a maniac looking for anyone who'll mate with him. Except Hazel 'cause I guess her being willing is no fun.
And maybe once a week he chases a hen across the yard because she wants nothing to do with him.
I could also just rehome Truffles and let my other rooster have all the hens, and hope Hazel's loss of power will set her straight? I know the remerging of the flock will also cause stress, but my other rooster is a really really good roo. In the past, I let him free range with all the hens and he's amazing with them and they all got along. But that was before I established the split flocks so I'm sure there'll be a little trouble remerging but I don't suspect it'll be too bad.
Curious how you all would handle this! And sorry for the novel!
There's a behavior I've been seeing from one of my two roosters, Truffles. I officially added him to the his flock back in December after a long period of safe no-touch introduction. I understand he's been working on establishing his leadership in the flock. But he's allowing his favorite hen, Hazel, to bully other hens and seems to even be promoting it. He mates a hen and remains standing on her while Hazel pecks her. However, there are no injuries besides some missing feathers. But this has just recently caused the latest pecking order victim to avoid eating and I've had to intervene to make sure she got food.
Truffles and Hazel grew up together. They are the youngest in the flock, being only 11 months old. The other 9 hens in the flock consisted of my 6 EEs who are almost 2 years old, 1 RIR who is 1 year 2 months, and 2 Leghorns that are 1 year 2 months.
My other rooster was integrated into his flock in a very similar manner. He and two Polish hens added to an older flock of 6 hens. The tiny Polish he favors. Maybe its her size, but she never gave anyone trouble except the rooster himself. She bosses him around a lot.
Anyway, head hen Zelda accepted Truffles, so she'd squat for him and Hazel let her be because nobody messed with Zelda.
However, when my RIR Marcy accepted him, I found that Hazel would charge in while he mated Marcy and peck her in the face while she was down. Truffles did nothing to stop it. After a few weeks, this stopped. I suspect Hazel rose in pecking order over Marcy. Marcy has always been very friendly and easy-going so I see why she was the first target.
The EEs and Leghorns were the next targets for this behavior. Hazel tends to pick one girl to torment until, I guess, she's dominated the girl? Generally the hens mingle fine with Hazel, but Hazel sticks close to Truffles at all times. When Truffles is getting hot-to-trot for mating, everyone flees. They try to run away from both Truffles and Hazel. I would think after 4 months, this would have calmed down. Only Zelda & Marcy wouldn't run since they would squat for him and Hazel already sorted out her positions with them.
I've let it be so far since chickens are chickens. I understand they have a complex social heirarchy and I guess if Truffles is set on having Hazel be head hen, perhaps his judgment is as sound as a chicken's judgment can be.
But to me, Hazel has become a bully and is making life troublesome for everyone. She's a sweetheart with people, one of my tamest and easiest to handle. But she's just awful with her flockmates. I've caught her darting across the yard just to rip out a mouthful of feathers from Marcy. I've seen her jump and rip feathers out from Marcy while she was roosting. Marcy is going bald on her butt and belly. Only Marcy. Because of Hazel.
This week I discovered that my EE, Kiki, is the latest victim. A few days ago I had to bring Kiki in because she was walking around slowly. Turns out her crop was empty and she wouldn't eat around the others. Once inside and alone, she gorged on food and immediately perked up. Today, Hazel made a nest in a remote place to lay. Truffles watched over her. Later, when Kiki needed to lay, Truffles led her to that nest and watched over her the whole time. About an hour after she was done laying, I heard a ruckus in the yard. Dog barking, a chicken was yelling. I go check it out to find that Truffles was just standing on Kiki's back keeping her pinned to the ground. She couldn't move or get up. Hazel was pecking her. Kiki was yelling. I chased them off her and she got away. I put them in the run away from her. She was panting so heavily, poor girl. Checked her crop. Again she hadn't been eating. With them two locked up, she finally ate.
To make matters worse, my head hen Zelda passed away 10 days ago (suspected heart attack, not egg bound, died in the nesting box). The EEs only respected Zelda. They're stressed enough from losing her and I'm sure they feel uneasy not having someone over them that they respect. From what I understand of my flock, Kiki is runner up. She was the only one who dared to quarrel with Zelda. So it makes sense she would become a target now.
At this point I'm considering rehoming Truffles and Hazel to a flock that could handle them. But I'm also hesitant in doing so. I understand the EEs are very headstrong girls who are being very stubborn in accepting Truffles, but stuff like this worries me. Most of the time, though, I see everyone getting along so well together while they forage, eat, follow me to beg for treats, etc. which makes me think I'm overreacting. After all, there haven't been any injuries. But I know that can change one day, too.
Any thoughts? What would you all do? I could try isolating Hazel from the flock since she's the bully and see if things quiet down? She seems to be the biggest issue. Truffles' only main flaw is he's a bit too hot-to-trot. In the mornings he's chasing the ladies around like a maniac looking for anyone who'll mate with him. Except Hazel 'cause I guess her being willing is no fun.
And maybe once a week he chases a hen across the yard because she wants nothing to do with him.I could also just rehome Truffles and let my other rooster have all the hens, and hope Hazel's loss of power will set her straight? I know the remerging of the flock will also cause stress, but my other rooster is a really really good roo. In the past, I let him free range with all the hens and he's amazing with them and they all got along. But that was before I established the split flocks so I'm sure there'll be a little trouble remerging but I don't suspect it'll be too bad.
Curious how you all would handle this! And sorry for the novel!
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I have to agree, it would be better to remove the two from my flock. Especially with the summer heat coming in early. It's stressful enough on everyone as it is. None of us need the bullying.
I even insisted I was fine with building one on my own. At least all they do is sleep in those and lay their eggs. Don't worry, the coop on the right does not have 10 birds sleeping in there at night! Only my smallest 6 sleep in there, plenty of space. The other 4 (rooster included) get put into a big separate cage with a roost for the night. The entire run is 10x20 that's split in half. So 9 chickens in a 10x10 area and the other 10 in a 10x10 area. Getting some wood together this spring to build something more acceptable! But I let them out to free range for the day. Each flock gets out every other day to roam a half acre backyard. While they're out, I have a door in the middle of the run so I can open up the entire 10x20 for one flock giving them more space. I can definitely say, there's very little room inside the run to get away from the bullies. They usually take to the roost bar or get on top of the coop when they want to be left alone.
