Rooster mating issues

[Asliter]

Hello all,
I have a question regarding my americana roosters behavior toward my two leghorns hens. I have a flock of 7 with a Rooster that hatched last fall. He is finally assuming his position as flock leader but he is just being mean to my two leghorns only. He is mating the other girls just fine not leaving a scratch but the leghorns he just likes to pull their feathers on the back of their neck. One so bad a few weeks ago I had to separate her because she was bleeding. The leghorns even squat down to allow him to mate but he just stands over them and pulls feathers until they run away in pain. He is not this way with the other hens. He is mating them just fine.
Is there something about the leghorns he does not like? The other hens are Americana and austalorp breeds.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would not blame the hens. I would remove your rooster. He's immature and following his hormonal urges. He may or may not improve. Not all roosters are good rooster, but time will tell.

 

[Asliter]

I went ahead and removed him. Hopefully some time away will straighten him out. Thanks for the advice.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sometimes that first spring the young roosters are a bit too much. I have had luck managing them through their first spring and most calm down and become better roosters as they mature.

I pen mine where they can interact through the fence. They often spend time sweet talking hens, and learn better manners.

Some are better by summer and occasionally one needs management into winter. Generally their second spring they are much better.

 

[Acre4Me]

We had an Australorp cockerel that did not like the dark brown leghorn pullets either! Would keep them from the main food dish (we gave them food in another container in another part of the run not patrolled by cockerel), and he would chase them unprovoked. He mated other pullets, but none of the leghorns. We ended up selling him at 10 months (he had it in for our tween), and selling the leghorns as they didn't seem to gel with any of the other pullets, and were harassed by the cockerel.

But separation will be good for him while he matures a bit.