Rooster

[candra009]

I have 4 hens and a rooster, I have had them for about a year, Ive had them as babies, I didn't want a rooster but surprise! i have one now...I just rescued a new hen she is the same age as my chickens. shes a leghorn... I have been putting her in a dog kennel at night and letting them all run together in the yard in the day time. the rooster tries to beat her up shes terrified! and I also have one mean hen that beats on her too. what do I do??

 

[phalenbeck]

I have put picked on birds where they can see and be seen by the others for a week or 2. I also have put mean birds in isolation jail for a bit. I also have turned mean birds into soup if the first 2 did not work.

 

[candra009]

I know..... I want to get rid of him because everything I do docent work but my boyfriend wont let me!/; my new hen is getting along with the other hens but the rooster wants to kill her? thank you!

 

[Peeps61]

How old is your rooster? Is he a year or more? A mature rooster should not be trying to kill his hens, new or not. A younger rooster may be trying to assert his dominance over the hen as the flock master. Is the new hen old enough to be laying eggs? Is she receptive to the rooster attempting to mate her? As in, does she squat for him and allow him to mate her? These are all dynamics that affect flock interactions. I would do what the OP said, and leave her in the dog kennel at night and out during the day for a few more weeks. Once she is fully integrated, try letting her in to roost with the others and see how it goes. If anything, I'd have "rooster soup" if he keeps trying to hurt her - that's overaggressive rooster behavior. hens will always squabble if a newcomer is introduced to the flock. The pecking order must be re-established.

 

[candra009]

my rooster is almost a year old and my hens I got them all together. I did have the new hen in the dog kennel for a long time,at night only... then they all free ranged together and the new hen hid from all of them, now I have the rooster in the dog kennel and shes hanging out with the other hens and getting a long. she scared of him she will not be dominated by him she fights him like a rooster! thanks

 

[Peeps61]

She may fight out of fear - is she old enough for him to mate with her? If she submits, then he'll generally stop harrassing her. If not, you might want to rehome her or the rooster. I think letting her be with the hens while confining him is a good thing. However, they will have to mingle for a while for the dynamic to be established. Good luck!

 

[candra009]

I rescued her from a drug addict that drove around with her in his car he hatched her from an egg, the poor thing didn't know she was a hen but now is getting the hang of it, and we are spoiling her now and she deserves it. I want to get rid of this mean rooster but the boyfriend wont let me! wel Thank you, Candra