Rough Rooster

[HerbGir1972]

seems our Rooster is either getting his feisty on or is rough getting the gals back into line.
I understand that there has to be a dominant male, my flock consists of 1 large rooster of unknown breed, 1 white crested black polish rooster, 2 partridge Plymouth rock hens, 1 silver Wyandotte hen, one unknown breed that we believe so far to be a hen, and a RIR hen. They we're all raised together so they get along pretty well up until about this week.
The large rooster has started pulling on a couple of the other chickens, most I have seen have been the gals but due to the feathers found in the coop it must be the polish too. My girls are just appauled by his behavior, but I'm leaving that discussion until I know a little more about chicken behaviors.

ALl these birds (most all of our birds are & will be hand raised),
The big guy is 17 weeks old
the polish and 5 hens bought together are 12 weeks old
and the little white chicken Gonzo which we really are unsure of at this time is 13 weeks old

Is this time enough for them to be doing that Chickeney Wild Thang...?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

seems our Rooster is either getting his feisty on or is rough getting the gals back into line.
I understand that there has to be a dominant male, my flock consists of 1 large rooster of unknown breed, 1 white crested black polish rooster, 2 partridge Plymouth rock hens, 1 silver Wyandotte hen, one unknown breed that we believe so far to be a hen, and a RIR hen. They we're all raised together so they get along pretty well up until about this week.
The large rooster has started pulling on a couple of the other chickens, most I have seen have been the gals but due to the feathers found in the coop it must be the polish too. My girls are just appauled by his behavior, but I'm leaving that discussion until I know a little more about chicken behaviors.

ALl these birds (most all of our birds are & will be hand raised),
The big guy is 17 weeks old
the polish and 5 hens bought together are 12 weeks old
and the little white chicken Gonzo which we really are unsure of at this time is 13 weeks old

Is this time enough for them to be doing that Chickeney Wild Thang...?

You have some serious potential problems in your flock. The reason they have gotten along until now is that they were immature - they are now hitting chicken puberty, especially the big guy, and the problems are just beginning. Generally speaking, you want one rooster for 10 hens -- right now you have two roosters to five hens (if everyone holds true to your gender guesses). Issues that will continue and increase are fighting between your roosters for the dominant spot, stress on your hens by overmating, etc. You will want to consider either two flocks - a bachelor pad and a hen flock, or reducing your rooster numbers while increasing your hen numbers or increasing the hens to an appropriate level for keeping both roosters. As for them being hand raised - there are a couple of camps on that matter when it comes to roosters as often those that are the most "and raised" and the "biggest babies" as chicks can become the biggest terrors as they hit maturity - in many ways what we assume to be a positive through human eyes/logic can prove to be the opposite in the reality of animals.

 

[krista74]

I agree with the above post. You have too many roosters and not enough hens!

You need to either run two separate flocks, or lose a rooster. And I would do this sooner rather than later.

Things are only going to get worse for your poor girls with the two roosters there. Potentially, they could also turn on (and kill) each other.

I have one rooster and six hens (all about 8 months old) and now that he has started mating them in earnest I can already see I'm going to need three or four additional hens. Things will only increase in intensity as spring rolls around, and I don't want to see my girls with all of their feathers ripped out and wounds on their backs and necks.

You have some big decisions to make. Good luck!

- Krista

 

[HerbGir1972]

For now I was letting the polish stay where he was, until I get a handle on exactly what my final numbers will be after this hatch from the incubator... Whatever hatches are supposedly already sold, that gal likes bantam chickens so I thought I could rehome one with her when she comes for the babies.

You can have a pen just for the roosters, how does that work out....with no hens there's no competition????