Rooster is getting beat up!

[Savannah17]

Just got a rescue rooster (i think he's older) so my hens can have some protection. We had about a 7 hour cage through cage introduction. Now he's in the coop and getting really beat up! There is blood and pulled out feathers. How normal is this?
I never had a roo!!

 

[Fur & Feathers]

normal with any new chicken infidel [that is how the girls will see it] whether its a roo or girl.
they need a longer time with getting used to each other,and it is better to introduce them gradualy not in the girls domain.
the poor lad needs a bit of mummying/TLC!
but dont take this as a sign he isnt wanted it is because they have a established pecking order,we had the same issues with introducing new fully grown chickens to an old ex bat,originaly the owner of our residential home put a chuck straight in with her and henny tore her up,they decided she was a chicken hater from that but its because she feels threatened having other chickens come into her dwellings and will react.
same with this poor lad,please get a spare coop for him for now and put that next to theirs, let him get over this for a bit then start to introduce them whilst they free range,this is what personaly do with own chickens and in two playdates have sucesfuly managed to integrate a half a year old pullet within six cochin older chicks-

she is bottom of the pecking order in her group,even though she is perfect with the babies she enjoys having some time out where she is boss.

 

[ve]

Adult healty roo will not let any hens beat him up. This roo is young or not healty.

 

[HeatherLynn]

I don't know if thats true with the roos. I tell you I have had some wonderful roos. Every egg fertile ( with one exception), did a good job protecting, whooped the fanny of any of my young roos getting near his girls. I have one hen that will not allow a roo on her. Seriously she is MEAN. Meaner than mean. No other hen or roo really messes with her. I have a huge white goose that is terrified of her. The cat and the only 2 dogs we have that are chicken friendly avoid her. I would consider putting her down for her mean little ways but she lays an egg every day without fail and she is nice to me and the kids. She follows my dad around like she is his pet. She just seems to hate the other chickens. So if you have a really really dominant hen I would not put it past her. I have seen several huge old boys put in their place by a hen. Also if any of them are broody. Well they go through some pretty mean moods.

If possible I would set him aside with maybe one other hen and let them get used to each other and buddy up. Then maybe reintroduce them both together in a week. They tend not to pick as badly if they are not introduced solo. Just an idea. I cluster mine because reintroducing just one is pretty messy. Even a sick one I will take out another one or two and put them together for a few days. Then no one goes back in by themselves.

 

[jak2002003]

You really should not put new birds into your flock unless you quarantine them for at least 2 weeks. What if he has some disease that will spread to you birds?!

He also needs time to settle down and get used to his new place.

When you do introduce them make it when they are free ranging. Then he can run off to escape if he needs to, and the hens won't be so aggressive as they will not see him as a threat invading their home.

 

[RedDrgn]

Seven hours is barely any introduction at all. Ours was a full 5 days through wire followed by a week of free ranging together before our roo was ever left among our girls. This was all AFTER a 2 week quarantine to give us time to see if he carried any illnesses, parasites, or other pests that could infect our flock.

Roo or not, any "strange" bird into an established flock will get their rear tail feathers handed to them. Even an adult roo can't handle a flock of angry hens that are seeing nothing but "INTERLOPER/DESTROY" flash across their screenss at the sight of a non-flock member.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Adult healty roo will not let any hens beat him up. This roo is young or not healty.

I don't agree with this. A new bird takes time to get used to the place before they show their true place in the flock, and even a rooster will have to back off when every hen in the flock is bent on showing him that he's not the boss of them. A seven hour introduction is pretty much like not introducing them at all. I usually put new birds in quarantine for three weeks to a month, then put the new birds in an adjoining pasture for at least two, sometimes three weeks. Then I open up the second pasture so that they are free-ranging together, but not cooped up together in the hen house at night. After a few days of this, if no obvious problems, I'll finally put them all in the hen house together. It's like a two-month process.

You can either pull him out and keep him separate for a few more days, or just wait and see how things shake out--the most important thing is that they're not in very close quarters. The new bird needs to be able to get away from the tormentors.

 

[Gofygure]

Adult healty roo will not let any hens beat him up. This roo is young or not healty.

Clearly you haven't met one of my roosters. He routinely gets his big ol' butt kicked by the feistier hens. He is sort of gimpy, though.

Give him time to find his confidence. Once he is more familiar with his surroundings he will begin to assert himself and teach the girls some manners. Don't let him stay with them if he has a wound. In fact, I'd walk it back a bit and isolate them within sight of each other for at least a week. It'll be easier on everyone and may save him a bad infection from their tender pecks.

 

[NYREDS]

Sounds like he's the one that needs protection, not your hens.

 

[mebuff daisy]

Hi, i am new to this group and one of my roosters is all beat up

i cleaned him up but he is not well any advice ?