Rooster trying to mate with chicks

[mabelball]

I have a 1 year old rooster who isn't right in the head. Today I caught him holding down a 7 day old chick and trying to mate with it. This seems dangerous to me. I'm afraid he could kill them. They are all free range bantams and there is no way I can coop them. I'm wondering if I should get rid of him before any damage is done.

 

[torilovessmiles]

Was he trying to mate with it or kill it? Perhaps it is a male chick and he sees it as competition in the future. Either way you should probably keep the chicks away from him. Did you have a broody hatch these chicks?
Maybe go out when they roost and grab the chicks and take them inside? You can make an impromptu brooder with a plastic tote and a desk lamp. When they get older they can probably defend themselves against him.

 

[LRH97]

You should figure out some way to keep your roo away from your chicks. At 7 days old, they should still be in a brooder unless they are with a mother hen on free range. He's only doing what a roo is meant to do. A large dog crate is good for temporary isolation. But, yes a larger roo could seriously injure such young chicks so if you absolutely can't separate them, I would get rid of the roo. As said above, they will most likely be able to fend him off as soon as they get big enough. That being said, I would separate them before getting rid of the roo.

 

[mabelball]

Yes the chicks are with their mother. I wouldn't have the hart to take them from her. She is a very good mom. And yes he was definitely trying to mate with it. He has always been very strange. He acts as if he is mentally handicap. He can be tough to deal with sometimes. He's not aggressive twords me or any of the other chickens. None of the hens let him mate with them. I think they sense that he is not right in the head. But I can't have a pedophile chicken hanging around either.

 

[keesmom]

That is not normal rooster behavior. At worst a rooster may ignore chicks, but quite frequently they help raise them. Finding them food, keeping them warm and watching for predators.

 

[lazy gardener]

Any rooster who did that in my yard would not live to draw his next breath.

 

[youngchooklover]

I have a 1 year old rooster who isn't right in the head. Today I caught him holding down a 7 day old chick and trying to mate with it. This seems dangerous to me. I'm afraid he could kill them. They are all free range bantams and there is no way I can coop them. I'm wondering if I should get rid of him before any damage is done.

Hello Some of my roosters do this to but never this young?

I would suggest locking the chicks or the roo away.
If you had to free range the chicks watch them and if your roo comes kick him off.

 

[youngchooklover]

Yes the chicks are with their mother. I wouldn't have the hart to take them from her. She is a very good mom. And yes he was definitely trying to mate with it. He has always been very strange. He acts as if he is mentally handicap. He can be tough to deal with sometimes. He's not aggressive twords me or any of the other chickens. None of the hens let him mate with them. I think they sense that he is not right in the head. But I can't have a pedophile chicken hanging around either.

Ooo if he is that bad you could kill him or find some one to kill him for you.

 

[song of joy]

Yes the chicks are with their mother. I wouldn't have the hart to take them from her. She is a very good mom. And yes he was definitely trying to mate with it. He has always been very strange. He acts as if he is mentally handicap. He can be tough to deal with sometimes. He's not aggressive twords me or any of the other chickens. None of the hens let him mate with them. I think they sense that he is not right in the head. But I can't have a pedophile chicken hanging around either.

Sounds like the rooster needs to go! He's a danger to the chicks and acts abnormally. Those are traits you don't want to pass on if he does happen to mate with your hens.

 

[torilovessmiles]

Yes the chicks are with their mother. I wouldn't have the hart to take them from her. She is a very good mom. And yes he was definitely trying to mate with it. He has always been very strange. He acts as if he is mentally handicap. He can be tough to deal with sometimes. He's not aggressive twords me or any of the other chickens. None of the hens let him mate with them. I think they sense that he is not right in the head. But I can't have a pedophile chicken hanging around either.

Yeah I'd say the soup pot would be a good option. Like song of joy said, if he is mentally impaired, that trait may be genetic. Even if it weren't genetic, I wouldn't see it worth it to keep a rooster that can't fertilize eggs (due to hens not letting him mate) or is just too stupid to contribute anything to the flock. Especially when he could kill your healthy chicks trying to mate with them!