The pullets are all English Orpingtons 9-10 weeks old and the roo is a silkie/cochin mix about 8months or so old.
The pullets are not done growing, but are almost all just about his same size at this point with 2-3 still being obviously smaller.
I know this roo is probably at the "hormonal teen" stage which may be accounting for this behavior, but I am just wondering if these pullets are too young to be around him. He tries his "gentleman dance" non stop when he is around them through the fence, but as soon as he can get in person he jumps on anyone he can catch. It is a horrible scene and I don't want any of the girls to get hurt being so young. I have been keeping them separate since the first incident. I can just tell he poor roo is going nuts and am wondering when it will be safe to allow them together. After periods of dancing at them through the fence he goes and lays with his face in a corner of his coop and growls and grumbles for awhile before coming out and trying some more. No idea what that behavior is lol. It seems like he has to go pout.
Thanks for any advice!!
The pullets are not done growing, but are almost all just about his same size at this point with 2-3 still being obviously smaller.
I know this roo is probably at the "hormonal teen" stage which may be accounting for this behavior, but I am just wondering if these pullets are too young to be around him. He tries his "gentleman dance" non stop when he is around them through the fence, but as soon as he can get in person he jumps on anyone he can catch. It is a horrible scene and I don't want any of the girls to get hurt being so young. I have been keeping them separate since the first incident. I can just tell he poor roo is going nuts and am wondering when it will be safe to allow them together. After periods of dancing at them through the fence he goes and lays with his face in a corner of his coop and growls and grumbles for awhile before coming out and trying some more. No idea what that behavior is lol. It seems like he has to go pout.
Thanks for any advice!!