Rooster hurting hens

[paigelogan00]

I have a Welsummer rooster that is very very mean to 1 hen. I have 30+ chickens and he seems to pick on this one hen. I have had to pull him off of her. It is like he is trying to kill her. He doesnt mind the other rooster so why this hen? What is wrong and what should I do?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chicken politics can be subtle and complicated. Two possibilities come to mind, she won't submit to him or there's something wrong with her, another possibility is he's just a poor rooster and needs to be removed. I personally wouldn't tolerate that behavior, but I would check this hen over very well before deciding which should go, as it's normal for roosters to attack sick hens to remove them from the flock.

 

[waddles99]

It could also be that that particular hen is his "favorite". Roosters do have favorites that they like to breed more frequently than the other hens. If this is the case, a saddle might work to protect her.

 

[Peeps61]

I don't think she's a favorite. I have one hen that my rooster tries to kill. He's a prince to the rest of them, but not her. She'll submit, but he's not mating her - he's attacking her. Since she produces eggs and seems healthy, he stays locked out of the big coop at night, or, if he chooses to go into the small coop, he'll spend the night there. I keep her locked in my big coop and away from him. It has plenty of room and she has food and water at all times. She seems happy and produces eggs 6 out of 7 days during the week, so that's how I make it work for me.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Strange behavior. I wouldn't keep him, is there a reason that you do?

 

[sebloc]

Hello
Not sure about the exact age; but around 8 weeks of age for my rir's and buffs, we automatically noticed one of the rir's was a cockerel. This one rooster would continue to pick on one buff.

It just happens. My solution to the pecking was smacking the roo with a roll of paper towels, not that hard, just enough for the roo to get the point.

Not much you can do about it :/ Get rid of him.

I guess you can say he's just hitting on her. She's probably rejecting him, and he can't handle it.

 

[FlyWheel]

Get rid of him! Roosters have two uses and he's failing @ both of them!

 

[Weehopper]

Amen. It would have to be one heck of a prize rooster in order for me to tolerate that. Plus, that is a trait you don't want bred into your chicks.

 

[paigelogan00]

Thank you for all the ideas. I will look at her closely and keep the 2 separated since I plan to keep her.

 

[Greekwuzhere]

I have a rooster he is about 3 1/2 months old he just started trying to jump on the hens older and his sister's and his momma. This is the second day now I noticed and one of the older hens that was chasing him away from food the other day is now running like heck from him he is chasing her all around the yard and it was time I lock the coop up and all my girls were in accept the one he was chasing I found her under my wheel barrel. That bothered me I will not tolerate this if he picks on her again tomorrow it will be time for him to go. He is young any feedback on this? I will post a picture of him