Rooster too aggressive with hen(s), what to do?

[thelongacre]

Hi all,

I have 6 buff orpingtons - 2 of which are roosters. They are 4 months old, and the hens are not laying yet. I know having 2 roosters for 4 hens is a bad idea, and we are intending to cull one of the roosters. The roosters actually seem to get along fine together (one is very Alpha and other very Beta), but they are way too aggressive with the girls.

One of my hens, Thelma, is able to escape from the coop and enclosure. When she escapes, she comes up near the house and pecks around one of our trees for bugs. She's very sweet and tame and let's me hold her. When I see her, I scoop her up and bring her back to the coop. I think that she escapes because the Alpha rooster very aggressively mounts her and she hates it and fights him off. Last time I brought her back, he grabbed her by the comb to mount her, causing her too bleed, and while he did the Beta rooster pecked at her (in my opinion, viciously). I hate that I'm bringing her back to be abused, and she basically gets out again as soon as she can.

I'm wondering that if I cull one of the roosters (Alpha or Beta?), will the aggression towards the hens, and particularly Thelma, stop? Are they doing it to compete with the other one? Or will the other already have learned this behavior and still treat the girls aggressively? I like the look of the Alpha, but we don't have many predators, and I don't know that we need him for the flock if he's gonna be like this. I'm also open to being an all-lady zone if that's the most peaceful for everyone.

Thanks so much!
Paige

 

[HuskerHens18]

To be honest they sound like aggressive roosters. At 4 months old they may be hitting puberty and are having an overflow of hormones. It can take weeks or months to get through it.
You do what works for you, you can separate one rooster for a week and see how he acts, then switch out, and see who treats the hens better, if either. Otherwise you may find it better to have an all lady zone!
Both roosters can live together if they're separated from hens. I've got several rooster flocks.

 

[3 Sparrows Farm]

Hi you could use a chicken saddle which goes around the chickens when a rooster mounts. This will protect their back and feathers. You can get these at Cal-Ranch I think or you could make one out of something and watch a you tube tutorial. My friend made a chicken saddle out of duck tape once. I'd say get rid of the most aggressive rooster , this will take away the competition and get chicken saddles.

 

[snow5164]

You need to choose one rooster at the most. For 4 hens one rooster is too much , I have 14 hens and 5 are feather less, rooster is going to be gone tomorrow

 

[sylviethecochin]

Roosters before the age of a year old are cockerels, and they're very much like randy, unsupervised teenagers (but without a shred of the empathy and moral consciousness of which human teenagers are capable.)

You need to separate the roosters from the hens. You can get a grow-out pen to keep your boys in for the next year, or get rid of them both, because this will not stop until the hormones settle down. I personally have a lot of space and a very good rooster who will chase the cockerels away from the flock, so all of my birds free-range, but the cockerels don't harass the hens.

If you want a rooster and don't have time/space for a grow-out pen, why don't you look around your area for a cheap, well-mannered rooster? You should make sure the farm isn't a mess and doesn't have a history of diseases/parasites.

 

[snow5164]

Saddles don’t protect under their wings , mine got cut right open under her wing on both sides, that was the last straw. Why do you want a rooster ? Are you hatching eggs ?

 

[3 Sparrows Farm]

Yes that is true the saddle won't protect under the wing, but it can be helpful to protect the chicken's back.

 

[chickendreams24]

Roosters before the age of a year old are cockerels, and they're very much like randy, unsupervised teenagers (but without a shred of the empathy and moral consciousness of which human teenagers are capable.)

You need to separate the roosters from the hens. You can get a grow-out pen to keep your boys in for the next year, or get rid of them both, because this will not stop until the hormones settle down. I personally have a lot of space and a very good rooster who will chase the cockerels away from the flock, so all of my birds free-range, but the cockerels don't harass the hens.

If you want a rooster and don't have time/space for a grow-out pen, why don't you look around your area for a cheap, well-mannered rooster? You should make sure the farm isn't a mess and doesn't have a history of diseases/parasites.

Yes about a million times

Okay what you have assuming all the birds are the same ages are not hens and roosters you have pullets and cockerals.


Your pullets probably aren't laying yet so don't want to be bred(males mature faster). You're absolutely correct that 2 cockerals is too much for 7 hens let alone 7 immature pullets that can't keep them in line.

Cockerals are flooded with testosterone at sexual maturity but they don't know the finer points of being a good rooster. I'll list some of those below
Feeding the ladies
Dancing for the ladies
Not forcing them to mate
Protecting them
Balance while mating

All of these things are yes genetic to an extent, with gentle roosters generally having offspring that grow up to be better roosters whether they grow up with or without a mature flock that teaches them. More than that they're learned and practiced.

Right now your cockerals have had no guidance they're feeling in the dark and your pullets are suffering for that.

Yes it's possible that they may not ever stop and may just be overly aggressive boys.

What I think is probably happening though is that both cockerals are frustrated as they're trying to figure it out. They dominate the girls and become rough with them because they don't cooperate. They don't cooperate because the boys aren't practiced so it hurts and they're rough because they haven't completely figured it out yet. They are also trying to become dominant in the flock to gain the respect of the girls. They don't know you catch more flies with honey.

Saddles can give some protection but really they need to be separated for a while but still visible or they need to have ample space so the girls can run and get out of the line of sight. Cockerals can be ruthless especially when there's more than one as you're seeing. They will often take turns forcibly breeding a girl with the other cockeral pecks or kicks her often in the face.

You do need to look at it and decide why you want a rooster? What are your plans for the spare?

If you plan to hatch eggs or pet your girls hatch eggs what will you do with all the chicks, remember approximately half of all chicks that hatch will be male? You don't want that many cockerals running around for sure.

How large is your coop?

 

[snow5164]

Yes that is true the saddle won't protect under the wing, but it can be helpful to protect the chicken's back.

That’s obvious but it’s the cuts under the wings that can be fatal, a saddle is a bandage on an explosive situation.

 

[llombardo]

They have no clue what they are doing. I have 2 boys. I did seperated them because the one matured faster then the other. I left the calmer one in with the girls. They were not accepting of the mating but as they get older, they are. He has tried mating with the younger ones(they are just over 3 months). They scream like crazy, but he doesn't even pull a feather, they just don't know. I come to their defense and I certainly will not get rid of him. They will all learn together and I will guide them in the right direction. Meanwhile I gave the other rooster living in the house and he is doing very good. I will eventually build him his own area. Neither will be culled for being a rooster or learning how to be a good rooster.