Rooster too aggressive with our little chicken

radian89

Hatching
Jul 24, 2016
4
2
9
Our family is brand new to chickens and acquired our little flock in June 2016. We have a Minorca rooster, Minorca hen, Copper Maran hen, Bantam Easter Egger (all about 6 months old), Barre Rock hen and a Rhode Island Red hen (both about 14 months old). Our rooster just hit "puberty" a couple of weeks ago and started crowing every morning. For the past week he has been going after our little EE hen with way too much passion! He does try to mate with the other girls (just does the typical herding when they are out free ranging) but he CONSTANTLY is going after our EE. She is very petite compared to him and she is petrified! None of the younger hens have started laying yet.
Two days ago I found our EE laying with her head down in the corner of the run in shock. Her left eye was bloody, swollen and shut and she had several small cuts on the back of her head. We were able to revive her from the shock and had her spend the night in the house in one of our dog crates. She was better in the morning. Not wanting to keep her separate from the flock for too long we took her back out and the rooster instantly went after her! When we put her inside the run when he is in there she runs for the door and squawks at us to let her out. My son took her out and started walking away and the rooster was pacing back and forth in the run and started crowing very loud.
So, for the second day we are keeping her inside in the dog crate at night then during the day putting the rooster in the crate outside next to the coop/run while she goes inside with the other hens. As soon as we let them all out is watches her, stalks her and if we turn our backs he goes right after her.
We are thinking of giving him away. Even if we house him separately he goes after her when they are free ranging. Our little EE is so petite and precious. She is the most like a pet and follows us all around and loves to lay in my son's lap watching TV! I don't want her hurt or afraid. What should we do??? Thanks!!





That is Mark the rooster on the right in pick of 3 above. He is half again the size he was there and is at least 3 times the size of little Chica.
 
The problem is your Pullets are still too young to breed and do not enjoy your Randy Cockerels attention yet. Roosters Mature faster than the Hens.
If you do not plan to breed chickens? Rehoming him might be the best option?
You can try keeping him separate while the hens mature, but he will be breeding about every 15 minutes all day long once you let him back with the hens....Roosters are hard on hens...Some more than others.
 
Thank you. He is a good boy and obviously just doing what he is supposed to do, just a little too much for the little hen. I feel bad banishing him to separate quarters and know as soon as we let them out he will make a bee-line for her. Who can blame him, she is adorable! ;-) We have a friend who just lost a rooster to a hawk so we will ask him if he is looking for a replacement. If not, we will hope that before cold weather everything will work out and we can have them living together again.
 
Some folks keep young cockerels separated until the pullets start laying regularly or until the cockerel is 7-8-9 months old.
If you're not dead set on keeping him, you might want to get rid of him.
Getting a good adult cockbird after all your pullets are laying might be another option for you to entertain.
 
He is not just doing what he is supposed to. No rooster should be that rough. He needs to go. There is no reason for you to tolerate a boy being that rough with your girls. And 5 hens isn't enough for most mature roosters. Your older ladies are already showing some wear on their backs. Get rid of him. Your girls will be much happier and relaxed without him around.
 
We took Mark back last night to where we got him (my son's science teacher). He and his family have many chickens, turkey, ducks and geese that they breed and raise so he wasn't worried about Mark being so studly. Within seconds after putting Mark down in the pen he ran over to a group of hens and started dancing and putting on a good show. Then he turned to run after some other hens and ran right in front of the dominant rooster of the group...a very big boy! It took only a couple of seconds for him to posture and crow once and Mark slumped away! He will learn how to be more of a gentleman!

We ended up bringing home another rooster who never really matured and doesn't try to mate with the hens, even though he is 1 1/2 years old. He is a bit different and a little on the slow side. He is more afraid of the hens and will back away from them. He is a bit wobbly and always seems to shake so I think he has some kind of neurological disorder but he eats, drinks and roams around just fine. He just can't run or fly and stays close to the coop when they are out. He is doing great here and the female who after two days of separating the first rooster had started becoming very dominant has settled down. The hens are all more relaxed and the younger ones are roaming more freely in and out of the coop. A happy little family!

The best part is that our little Easter Egger is back in the coop full-time and very happy!! She follows the big rooster and looks up at him! What a change! Thanks to all for the advice and feedback...this site is wonderful!
 

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