Rooster is jealous and aggressive when chicks start to hatch

[Buffalowingz]

My silkies live together very peacefully and if I separate them even during hatch time she doesn't mind the eggs as she should and he will kill the chicks given the chance. So idea... I am putting up a divider I made just during hatch and then the babies will be removed. This divider has very heavy plastic screen in the middle of the "yolk"

I'm not the best artist lol but hopefully it will do the job

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Cute!

 

[centrarchid]

Has he killed chicks before?

 

[Buffalowingz]

He killed two coturnix quail chicks (she will sit on any egg type) and he ate thier own eggs to days before the hatch, I have yet to get a silkie chick from them. They are otherwise inseparable and he is a total gentleman with her

 

[centrarchid]

He consumed chicken eggs?

 

[Buffalowingz]

He consumed chicken eggs?

I think a little bit. He more so just pecked the eggs to death

 

[centrarchid]

I have not had a rooster that could access hatching eggs unless a hen was sitting on them. The hen on them preventing any issues during hatch. Has he been around chicken chicks?

 

[ChickNanny13]

I would be concerned about breeding that trait into chicks. You may want to look for another Roo.

 

[Buffalowingz]

I have not had a rooster that could access hatching eggs unless a hen was sitting on them. The hen on them preventing any issues during hatch. Has he been around chicken chicks?

Not yet

 

[Ridgerunner]

Please correct me if I am wrong. It sounds like you only have the two Silkies, not other chickens. And you are housing them with quail.

Chickens will often eat songbird eggs and chicks if they can get to them. It's not surprising to me that he might eat quail eggs or babies. The Silkie hen could too. Do not assume because he will eat quail eggs or babies that he will eat chicken eggs or hatchlings.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "He more so just pecked the eggs to death". That does not sound like normal behavior but that doesn't mean something is not happening. To me typical rooster behavior is that he leaves a broody hen alone on the nest or when she is raising chicks with the flock. Occasionally one may help the broody but I haven't had one harm the nest or chicks. But you need to go with what you see, not what typically happens to other people.

If he is doing harm you are headed in the right direction. Keep the hen isolated from him during hatch. If you only have two of them it's possible this is accidental damage because he wants to stay with her instead of him purposely doing something harmful, doesn't matter. In your unique situation I think this is the right way to go.