Rooster is excluding hens

[lilybean]

Hi! About a week ago my flock was attacked by a fox and we lost 3 of our 15 hens. Ever since then the rooster has been excluding and downright bullying 2 or possibly 3 of the hens. He will not allow them to eat or follow the group. These hens are not injured or sick. One of my hens also has started to mount these ostracized hens. I know roosters behave like this when the hens are not apart of their harem but they previously got along fine and the rooster was the perfect gentleman to all of the ladies. Any advice would be appreciated and thanks in advance!

 

[Acre4Me]

Sorry about your loss!

Yes, stress like this can alter behavior.

Change things up -add another water and feed station. Good anyway bc the lower ranking birds can get food and water. Add roosts in the run. Provide visual distraction where line of sight is disrupted. For example, an xtra piece of plywood leaned up against the fence, leaves an area behind it. Do not create dead ends though bc a lower ranking chicken can get cornered and injured.

 

[McChooky]

Try adding enrichment, extra feeders and waterers, perches, swings, toys, hiding places, clutter (anything to lower stress)After losing two hens last month I separated my flock after lock down. My calmer breeds are on one side of my run and my leghorns are on the other side.My roosters were also separated.

 

[McChooky]

Sorry about your loss!

Yes, stress like this can alter behavior.

Change things up -add another water and feed station. Good anyway bc the lower ranking birds can get food and water. Add roosts in the run. Provide visual distraction where line of sight is disrupted. For example, an xtra piece of plywood leaned up against the fence, leaves an area behind it. Do not create dead ends though bc a lower ranking chicken can get cornered and injured.

X2

 

[lilybean]

Thanks for all your help! I was planning on doing a run makeover anyways as they are spending more time in there- do you think things will ever return to normal or should I expect this to be the new norm?

 

[McChooky]

Thanks for all your help! I was planning on doing a run makeover anyways as they are spending more time in there- do you think things will ever return to normal or should I expect this to be the new norm?

Remove the dominating hen and put her in a wire crate where the rest of the flock can see her a couple days. If she repeats this behavior after releasing her in a couple days later put her back in time out for 3 more days and try it again. Your rooster should stop bullying the hens while she's in time out. Having both attacking the hens at the same time can lead to one or more becoming seriously injured.

 

[lilybean]

I don't know if this is relevant but today my mom went to go check on the chickens and found one laying face down dead.(not one of the ones the rooster has been excluding) My dad looked over the body and said there were no signs of marks or illness. I would've taken to my local vet to have a necropsy done but unfortunately my parents buried her before I got home. I will do a health check on the rest of the flock and possibly take the ones being excluded to the vet to have them thoroughly checked out. Any advice would be appreciated as this has never happened in all my years of keeping chickens

 

[McChooky]

I too found a hen dead of an unknown cause in their run where they've been contained after losing 2 while free ranging the week prior. All 3 were last years chicks that turned a year old this month (none have been sick) The hen was squatting down on the poop board with her head and neck hanging over the edge .I never found any injuries but suspected she died from over mating by suffocation or a broke neck. I separated my roosters and split my flock into 2 group