Rooster too Aggressive with Hens - Advice sought

[adriayna]

Hi all,

I've had a number of roosters over the years. I've never had one that was like the one I currently have. He's fine with people, can be picked up, etc. He's a patridge cochin rooster, just over 1 year old.

But he's horrible with the girls. We have 11 girls in the flock; most of the flock is just over a year old. As is the rooster. "Beating the girls up"is the only way to describe it. He pretends to call them over for food, and then he rips their heads down and jumps on them. The hens don't want to go near him; when they are free ranging, they avoid him. None of the hens like him, save one, and she's almost bare. I tried chicken saddles but they don't seem to stay on well...all of my hens look horrible, half their feathers missing. One hen refuses him entirely, and he pecks her and ostracizes her from the flock. He beats her up, bashing into her.

He's just downright violent with them. As I said before, this isn't my first rooster or rodeo. But my goodness, I've never seen such awful behavior as this.

A lot of people have said to me just to put him in the pot. But we aren't those kind of homesteaders. I would like to somehow rehabilitate him or have a way for him to be trained behaviorally. I'm wondering if anyone here has any ideas for things to do that are *not* eating him or putting him down. That is a very last resort.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I personally would pen him separately for a few months. I would release him in the fall when hormones are falling. Many times young roosters get that spring hormonal surge and they act like ninnies. Penning them allows them to get through puberty without harming the hens and establishing bad habits. I have reformed a few horrible acting boys this way. They always turn out after they fully mature and those hormones even out.

I pen mine where they can interact through the fence with hens. They learn to sweet talk hens, and interact without being able to hurt or mate them.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I agree with @oldhenlikesdogs If you don't want to invite him to dinner, penning him in a 'see but no touch' enclosure for a while might be a good start.

 

[aart]

I've never had one that was like the one I currently have......A lot of people have said to me just to put him in the pot. But we aren't those kind of homesteaders.

There's a first time for everything.....

What kind of homesteaders are you?
Do you have these birds for food...meat or just eggs?
At least separate the male before he kills your females.
Whether he can be 'rehabilitated' is questionable.
Best of cLuck!