Hello, So basics: Our rooster Hades, is attacking our hen Melody. Melody is a few months older than Hades and the rest of the hens. She is over a year old and does not lay eggs well. Those she does lay are thin shelled and break easily (or other hens peck before I can get them). She eats the same amount of oyster shell as other hens. That is a separate issue though. I bring it up because that might play a role in why Hades is attacking her (according to other threads here). More background: We have had Melody since she was a baby. The others we got at 2 months, and 3 months. We have had about 6 months. Out of nowhere last week Hades started attacking Melody and biting her waddle. We brought her into the porch to heal. At the time I thought she had been hen pecked, which also was confusing because she is usually the one pecking others. But as she healed and we tried to work her back outside, that's when we noticed Hades chasing her, and biting her. She would curl into a 'ball' o the ground. She was not 'assuming the position' for sex, but just laying still and letting him bite her. We had to bring her in again and let her heal some more. Today we swapped Hades for Melody. So now Hades is on our porch and Melody is back outside. She is doing well, and back in the groove outside with the other hens. Problem: What do I do with Hades? He is a beautiful rooster, and is good to the other hens. We have 6 hens, and Hades, and then 2 bantam roosters and 2 bantam hens that are about 5 months old. They live in the same yard, but separate cliques. So is there a way for me to get Hades and Melody to get along again, or will Hades continue to try to attack her? We love our Melody since we have had her the longest, but I do like Hades and he is otherwise a good rooster to his hens and people. So we feel a bit torn. Any advice would be welcomed. Thank you picture of Melody after main attack first day outside-went straight for a dust bath. a bit ruffed up, but she got her diva glint back in her eye .
The surest solution would be to either separate the two of them or relocate one of them. As a dominant hen, Melody probably challenged the rooster - got beat up and now serves as a target for his aggression. Personally, I would get rid of the rooster.
Myself, I'd cull the hen from the flock, if the rooster is good on every other level. She's not a good layer, so she could go. You'll have to get rid of one bird, or figure out a way to separate them. They won't "get along", it will be continual strife.
thanks. I was wondering if they would ever get along again, or if there would always be an issue. But, as i suspected, there will always be an issue. Now we have to figure out who to re home. We have more emotional attachment to Melody, but Hades is a good rooster. They are separated right now, so we will think about it and see about re-homing. Thanks for the input.