Rooster is hurting hen

[SparrowSong]

Thank you both so much. This helps. We raised this rooster from a baby and handled him a lot, but I guess the aggression is inborn with individual birds. Thanks for all the info!!!

 

[chckch372]

I believe they are pretty average for protection. Not as good as gamefowl (by that I mean 'fighting breeds'') but not poor. Though it does depend on the rooster's personality as well. Some never do more than three pecks before looking up at the sky and some keep their heads to the ground, gobbling up food like a little puppy dog. Keep in mind that a rooster's main purpose is not to kill anything that passes by, but to call the alarm for his girls to hide, and attack if need be. Some roosters are better than others but most will do this. Vigilance is preferred over aggression, when it comes to protection.
Orpingtons are generally very docile, but I don't think you'll have too much trouble with the hens picking on him, especially if you get an older one. Roosters generally eventually take the place over the lead hen. It's in their nature that the male leads the flock.
Whether you get an adult or a baby is your decision, both have pros and cons. When introducing any bird, you need to quarantine for an absolute minimum of 10-14 days. With chicks, they usually stay inside, in a brooder, but adults take up more space. When buying an adult, you get to see the individual bird's personality before you buy (most of the time) so you may have a better idea of what you're getting. With a chick, you can make sure it is raised around people and socialized, but their natural personality is completely unknown. Older hens will also often teach young cockerels what is proper mating behavior by putting him in his place when he tries to chase them or mate too roughly. When he gets old enough to take his place as lead, he should know what to do.
Good luck