Roosters---- do they kill the cockerels?

[MareeZoCool]

I noticed my rooster was acting strangely towards my 8-week old pullet. He was suddenly running towards her, then lost interest when she ducked under my chair.

How old is a pullet for a rooster's loving attention? Do roosters kill off young cockerels?

 

[chicken crazed 1o1]

They shouldent I have a 3 year old Silkie rooster and a year old japenease bantam cockerel . I have never ever seen them fight but then silkies Iv heard are known to be gentle .

 

[CMV]

My youngest pullet was about 15 weeks old when she started tolerating a roo's advances. She started laying about 2.5 weeks later. A roo will kill young cockerels (and even young pullets) if the youngsters are introduced too early. That's why it is important to make sure any newbies are about the same size when they are introduced to an older, established flock.

Good luck.

 

[centrarchid]

I have free ranging games and dominiques. Sexual advances by adult roosters restricted to hens of laying age. Cockerols / stags less discriminating and will target any female with adult voice. Adult rooster puts a stop to that very consistently.

Even my games not inclined to kill cockerols as they (cockerols) immediately give submission signals stopping attack. Confined to coop or small run, damage more likely, but even then I have not had losses.

 

[woodmort]

Actually what has happened around here is the young cockerels have killed their fathers--kind of a Oedipus complex.