Scared for my hen!!!

[nurschic]

I have 2 roos, both are Maran, 1 is very dominate and becoming aggressive and the other is just a horn dog……well my horn dog roo chases down my one hen and jumps on her back and as she is screaming the other dominate roo jumps on the roo on her back. If that isnt bad enough, they both make sure she doesnt run off, pulling and pecking her, jumping on her and kicking her. Yesterday she laid on the ground, wings spread and head on the ground until my son went and ran off the roos and even then it took her a few minutes to get up. Today they did the same thing to her and she ran into a corner of the run and balled herself up! I chases the roos away but she wouldnt come out…it took her over 5 mins to start moving again! Im afraid they are going to kill her!! After the roos went into the coop my hen came and sat on my lap for a good long time, she was still shaking.
My roos are almost 17 weeks and I was told that they are full grown and can meet freezer camp at anytime. Im thinking that maybe my dominate roo might have to go to camp soon…..thoughts???

 

[chicksurreal]

I have 2 roos, both are Maran, 1 is very dominate and becoming aggressive and the other is just a horn dog……well my horn dog roo chases down my one hen and jumps on her back and as she is screaming the other dominate roo jumps on the roo on her back. If that isnt bad enough, they both make sure she doesnt run off, pulling and pecking her, jumping on her and kicking her. Yesterday she laid on the ground, wings spread and head on the ground until my son went and ran off the roos and even then it took her a few minutes to get up. Today they did the same thing to her and she ran into a corner of the run and balled herself up! I chases the roos away but she wouldnt come out…it took her over 5 mins to start moving again! Im afraid they are going to kill her!! After the roos went into the coop my hen came and sat on my lap for a good long time, she was still shaking.
My roos are almost 17 weeks and I was told that they are full grown and can meet freezer camp at anytime. Im thinking that maybe my dominate roo might have to go to camp soon…..thoughts???

Hm. Sounds ominous.

Do you only have the one hen? If so, there is no way for these roos to come to terms with it, especially since they are in the midst of hormonal overload themselves at that age. Your hen needs protection from these two because they will fight over her and possibly kill her in the process, can you remove her and put her somewhere safe or get more hens? Even one rooster needs more than one hen. I have a rooster who tends to 13 hens quite effectively.

 

[Triple Willow]

I would slaughter one or both of the roos and if I kept one I would keep it seperate from the pullet. If not she will be bred over and over and over all day every day and soon be in bad shape or dead. If you want to keep a rooster with your hens you need more hens, I'd say at least 5-6. Or just make him seperate living quarters.

 

[Stiggy]

Yes you need more hens , and possibly better roosters. As said above you need to keep her safe and away from them before they kill and Maine her

 

[nurschic]

The flock is of 16 chickens.....only 2 are Roos that we know of. Plus I have another 3 chicks that are about a month old that will be added to the flock.
The big chicks are almost 17 weeks old and the Roos only pick on about 4 of the hens, with this one being the worse.

 

[chicksurreal]

The flock is of 16 chickens.....only 2 are Roos that we know of. Plus I have another 3 chicks that are about a month old that will be added to the flock.
The big chicks are almost 17 weeks old and the Roos only pick on about 4 of the hens, with this one being the worse.

Oh, Lol! I thought you meant you only had one hen. Is there any way you can separate the roos out and put them in another pen?

 

[Stiggy]

I suggest separating them and getting new roosters who aren't so aggressive towards them and only have one per pen

 

[chickengeorgeto]

..... The big chicks are almost 17 weeks old and the Roos only pick on about 4 of the hens, with this one being the worse.

You don't have two roosters. You have 2 cockerels which at best are juvenile male chickens. As they age their behavior will improve, at least as it relates to your flock. Cockerels are the equivalent of a gang of juvenile delinquents. You should build each his own 4X4 foot by 3 feet high coop and let each one out to forage a day or two each week with your flock until they reach mental maturity. The pullets being molested are at this age likely the only pullets in your flock that are below your cockerels place in the pecking order. Therefor they receives a disproportionate amount of attention. I never consider a cockerel as having matured until he is two years old or unless he has finished his first complete adult molt (20-24 months old).

 

[chicksurreal]

You don't have two roosters. You have 2 cockerels which at best are juvenile male chickens. As they age their behavior will improve, at least as it relates to your flock. Cockerels are the equivalent of a gang of juvenile delinquents. You should build each his own 4X4 foot by 3 feet high coop and let each one out to forage a day or two each week with your flock until they reach mental maturity. The pullets being molested are at this age likely the only pullets in your flock that are below your cockerels place in the pecking order. Therefor they receives a disproportionate amount of attention. I never consider a cockerel as having matured until he is two years old or unless he has finished his first complete adult molt (20-24 months old).

I didn't know that! I thought it was a year. Thanks very much for the information! it helps put things in perspective.

 

[Bethel3330]

Every time I see a story like this I'm so thankful I bought an adult rooster with all my pullets! Whew...