Rooster won’t let hens out of coop

[Kraftymama38]

Hello,

First time poster. I checked and can’t find this answered exactly. So here’s the problem…

We have a Buff Orpington Rooster, Vicky (named by my 4yo - and she wants “the chicken people” to know that he has the biggest waddle and comb ).

And Vicky is NOT letting his 5 hens out of the coop. He lets the one other rooster out. These are also Buff Orpingtons. And I’m concerned the ladies aren’t getting enough food.

We introduced some younger pullets recently. And they have integrated nicely. Vicky is letting them out to eat. He was biting all the other Buff Hens before the pullets arrived, which I understand is normal rooster behavior. But chasing the hens only developed once we introduced the pullets. Which were put in a small coop next to the Buff Orpington coop, separate but visible, for about two weeks before we started letting them out. During that time Vicky started chasing and biting the hens into the coop and not letting them out.

I do not know for certain if this behavior is because of the pullets. To protect them? Give them preference? Vicky lets them out all day. But I don’t know if my hens are getting much of any food.

I’ve heard there can be aggression brought on dissatisfaction in food. They are pastured rotationally with 100sqft moved every week or two. They get fermented scratch and peck feed. With grit. And bugs, grass, berries, food scraps and whatever they forage. We also ordered Fertrell nutri-balancer which will arrive this week.

I thought maybe it was that he wanted the pullets to eat first and then he’d let the hens eat. But I’ve checked in later in the day a few times and have not been seeing them out. And they want out.

Vicky has a lot of great qualities. He’s always watching everything that goes on. Always looking at us very attentively. He’s EXTREMELY observant and quick to call out trouble and notify the chickens.

I put Vicky in “time out” in a separate coop today and I see the hens are out eating, finally. But this isn’t what I want long term. I really like this rooster except for this issue. And I’ve been trying to let them work through it for a month now. But I’m worried the hens aren’t eating enough. And they should be laying any time now.

Pic is of me and Vicky.

I have a rooster we call murdered because he killed the other rooster that was in the pen with him we did not know till it was too late .but the rooster is not letting our hen eat running her around we are new to chickens and only have 2 a rooster and a hen our neighbors moved out and left them they were babies so we bought a chicken coop and made a run for them. So running the hen back into the house is normal? I put treat out and the rooster runs her away from the food.i figured the hen would get lonely if I got rid of the rooster she's not laying eggs yet though.