Rooster pecking hens bum

[randerson846]

I got a rooster, last Thursday and I have just put him in with the other hens today 13 of them, and he is acting weird he wouldn't go near them at the start, and now he is pecking the hens feathers around the back, I don't know what he's doing do any of u's have any ideas :/

 

[Sonya9]

I kind of suspect he doesn't know what he is doing either and he is trying to figure it out. Give him time!

Is he young? Has he had his own harem before?

I am assuming the "bum pecking thing" isn't related to mites or other nasties, and heck even if it was he would want to breed with them before he worried about bugs IF he had experience in such matters.

 

[randerson846]

Ok ahah and I think my friend told me he was about a year I think, how long will it take before he starts "doing his thing"

 

[Sonya9]

Well if he is male he will figure it out. Just give him some time (a couple of weeks or so?) to feel comfortable and gain confidence. The 2 weeks thing is just a guess, but a male will figure it out.

 

[randerson846]

He is about the same size as the hens, when do u think he will become a bit bigger or is there anything I can do to help him on his way of becoming more bulkier (not fat) just bigger

 

[Sonya9]

He is about the same size as the hens, when do u think he will become a bit bigger or is there anything I can do to help him on his way of becoming more bulkier (not fat) just bigger

Well what breed is he and how big should he get? He is 10 months old, I would expect him to stay about the same size.

What is your goal here anyway? You want to breed chickens? What breed and what purpose?

 

[randerson846]

He is a light Sussex rooster and I have him in with isa browns, and yes, I would like to breed them or get at leave a few more of them

 

[LittleRedCoop53]

I had a friend give me two silver laced wyndottes who were being plucked by the rooster. Both had their butt's totally plucked, and one had it's back bare too. I think it's a bad habit they get into. The two came from a place that had too many chicken and too small of space. If he actually plucks her bare...you have a feather eater.... i think. I'm still learning daily....good luck~

anybody else out there who knows more about this feather picking?

 

[randerson846]

Is there anything u can do ahah i don't really want my rooster to pluck my hens bum ahhaaha

 

[chickkrzi]

Well I'm thinking he's eating the feathers cause 1. He's bored, had one hen in a small breeding pin with rooster and another hen. By the end of 2 weeks one hen had all her feathers around her bun gone and the roosters bun was starting to show. Saw one of the hens going around pecking at there bums. Let them run the yard and it stopped. or 2 he thinks he need the extra proteins