Rooster pecking at hens

[Nuts4FluffyButtsi]

I have two roosters and 11 hens. They all grew up together and now that they’re older, I just want to know if this behavior is temporary or do I need to consider rehoming?

the rooster will basically peck at the hens feathers, shell squeak and run away.

 

[Aapomp831]

I have two roosters and 11 hens. They all grew up together and now that they’re older, I just want to know if this behavior is temporary or do I need to consider rehoming?

the rooster will basically peck at the hens feathers, shell squeak and run away.

If your roosters are feather plucking and causing injury, then that’s a problem. But you’re in for way more issues with two roosters - it doesn’t matter that they have grown up together; once hormones fully kick in they will fight to the death over the hens regardless of how many hens there are and 11 is definitely not even close to being enough.

 

[Ridgerunner]

How old are they? This sounds a lot like immature pullets and cockerels going through puberty. This stage can be hard to watch. Typically they settle down when they mature into adults but this stage can sometimes be violent. The cockerel's hormones are controlling him and the pullets aren't very mature either.

Before I type a lot based on a bad assumption could you please let us know how old they are? And what does this "peck at the hens feathers, shell squeak and run away" look like? Is he pecking or trying to grab and hold on? Where does he peck, any specific part of her body? Does he chase her if she runs away? Is it just one girl or is it more at random? Is it just one of your boys doing this?

 

[Nuts4FluffyButtsi]

How old are they? This sounds a lot like immature pullets and cockerels going through puberty. This stage can be hard to watch. Typically they settle down when they mature into adults but this stage can sometimes be violent. The cockerel's hormones are controlling him and the pullets aren't very mature either.

Before I type a lot based on a bad assumption could you please let us know how old they are? And what does this "peck at the hens feathers, shell squeak and run away" look like? Is he pecking or trying to grab and hold on? Where does he peck, any specific part of her body? Does he chase her if she runs away? Is it just one girl or is it more at random? Is it just one of your boys doing this?

They’re 20weeks..give or take. And now that you mention it, he may be trying to grab on to her. Regardless, he’s pulling feathers out of her

 

[Ridgerunner]

You can never tell when a cockerel will hit puberty. Some start by 12 weeks, some wait as long as yours. It sounds like he is trying to mate her and she tries to run away.

At that immature stage mating is not about fertilizing eggs, it's about flock dominance. The one on bottom is accepting the dominance of the one on top, either willingly or by force. Sounds like yours is attempting by force and maybe not succeeding. When he matures to the point that he can impress them with his personality it will probably become willing. That is likely a couple of months away. Or more. If any get hurt or you can't stand to watch (many can't) rehoming him or locking him up away from them for a while will solve the problem. Your other one will likely go through the same phase but it may not be as bad. You never know until it happens.