Rooster pecking baby chicks

[Petra Pancake]

Thanks everyone.

If your rooster is attacking 4-day-old chicks, I'd isolate him. I'd get rid of him also and get another one. If he is doing that there is something wrong with his instincts.

- Actually I started thinking that as well. On the other hand, he's a gentleman towards the hens and has never attacked me. I'll watch him closely and if his aggression towards the chicks gets worse that might well decide his future fate.

My rooster used to chase and peck at the chicks, sometimes even picking them up and trying to run off with them in his beak, though never drew any blood on any of them.

I don't know if it is possible for you as the chicks are being hen-reared, but maybe during the night when all are calm and sleepy, put the chicks and rooster together while supervising them, maybe even having the roo on your lap to try and keep him calm at first. I did that with my rooster, and after that night, he accepted the little peepers as part of his flock and even tried to beat up my dad when he picked up a chick and it started squeaking as it was forage time, not cuddle time.

- Interesting idea but I'm afraid it's not going to work in my setting. The hen would probably be very unhappy if I tried to dig the chicks out from under her at night and take my arm off at the elbow - she's got a really bad attitude. The rooster (and all my other chickens) aren't tame - they'd never sit on my lap or even let me touch them. I got most of them as point of lay pullets or mature hens (and roosters) from people who kept them under half-wild conditions and never tried to tame them.

 

[centrarchid]

You can tame them without too much trouble if I can get a psycho game hen to come down.

 

[MageofMist]

My roo likes his distance, but I pick him up and sit him on my lap and then when he calms down enough, give him either some mealworms or a handful of sunflower hearts in my hand... He completely forgets that he wants to get away from me until about 4 minutes after my hand has been empty of treats.

 

[Petra Pancake]

@centrarchid , the truth is, I never tried to tame them because I didn't see the need. They sort of free range around the garden, I feed them, watch chicken-TV and collect the eggs. Most of the time that's fine, only if I have to catch them for some reason, it gets tricky.

 

[Petra Pancake]

I did teach them two simple "commands" though - a cuckoo-like whistle (often rewarded with treats) to make them come to me and a "pshshshst" hissing noise I make when I want them to return to the coop at sunset. That works quite well. Maybe I should take the time to hand-feed them and get them used to touching to make the catching part easier when needed.

 

[centrarchid]

You are seeing one of the many reasons it pays to tame your birds. It expedites handling and can reduce stress associated with handling and your activities around them even when just carrying out general husbandry. You might find the taming part a little on the fun side. Getting birds to go into pen on their own or come to you for inspection can be handy.

 

[Petra Pancake]

Update on the chicks: I left them in the coop with the flock and the rooster and provided a few "shelters" fro them to hide in. It worked well. The rooster and the other hens have gotten used to them and leave them mostly alone. Their mother has started taking them out of the coop - they were "free ranging" with her today, with the rest of the flock. And when I threw some treats, they happily joined the squabble for the best bites, together with the adults. Looks like a good start towards integration into the flock.