Should I put my rooster down?

[Emilyrich]

hey guys,
I have a flock of 5 hens that are almost 2 years old. A few months ago, my cousin asked if I would adopt one of her roosters. He had been fighting with another rooster and needed to be removed. I agreed for a few reasons. First, I thought my hens would benefit from having a rooster around, the head chicken was taking on some rooster like qualities in the absence of one... if you know what I mean. Also, I wanted some practice keeping a rooster as I planned on having them eventually, and I thought this one was a good start since it’s a silkie and they are a smaller breed.
So at first they fought, which I expected, but the rooster quickly asserted dominance even though he’s pretty small. For a while, he wouldn’t let them eat or drink until around midday, and he basically made them stay up on roosts all day and hardly ever let them come down. Now it’s not nearly so bad but they are all still scared of him. I could live with that, but here’s the problem. He’s so mean to two, especially one of my hens. He mounts them so often that their backs are almost bald. He pecks them for no reason and doesn’t let them get treats, or if they do they are the last. The one hen is scared to even come out of the coop, and he is constantly by her side bothering her when she does. Is this normal? She looks worse everyday, and I know this is cheesy, but it’s like he’s broken her spirit! I named her after my sister because she was the bossy one of the bunch, and always had fun and did what she wanted. She was so cool. Now she’s sad and scared all the time. I don’t like the rooster because of this, but if this is normal I’ll let it go. I know chickens are not people. And he’s not aggressive toward us or even the other 3 hens. But seeing the bald backs makes me cringe and makes me want to call in a chicken hit man. Thoughts?

 

[CPT]

he's a hormonal rooster! When the weather warms up, this is just what they do, they look for mates. Check out this article:
https://www.mypetchicken.com/backya...top-my-rooster-from-pecking-my-hens-H237.aspx

 

[Creteloc]

Welcome! I can't help with anything but the bald backs. A chicken apron will help with the bald back issue. If you do a search, there are some patterns on here that are easy to make and will help with the baldness.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

hey guys,
I have a flock of 5 hens that are almost 2 years old. A few months ago, my cousin asked if I would adopt one of her roosters. He had been fighting with another rooster and needed to be removed. I agreed for a few reasons. First, I thought my hens would benefit from having a rooster around, the head chicken was taking on some rooster like qualities in the absence of one... if you know what I mean. Also, I wanted some practice keeping a rooster as I planned on having them eventually, and I thought this one was a good start since it’s a silkie and they are a smaller breed.
So at first they fought, which I expected, but the rooster quickly asserted dominance even though he’s pretty small. For a while, he wouldn’t let them eat or drink until around midday, and he basically made them stay up on roosts all day and hardly ever let them come down. Now it’s not nearly so bad but they are all still scared of him. I could live with that, but here’s the problem. He’s so mean to two, especially one of my hens. He mounts them so often that their backs are almost bald. He pecks them for no reason and doesn’t let them get treats, or if they do they are the last. The one hen is scared to even come out of the coop, and he is constantly by her side bothering her when she does. Is this normal? She looks worse everyday, and I know this is cheesy, but it’s like he’s broken her spirit! I named her after my sister because she was the bossy one of the bunch, and always had fun and did what she wanted. She was so cool. Now she’s sad and scared all the time. I don’t like the rooster because of this, but if this is normal I’ll let it go. I know chickens are not people. And he’s not aggressive toward us or even the other 3 hens. But seeing the bald backs makes me cringe and makes me want to call in a chicken hit man. Thoughts?

The money you sell him for on craigslist will feed the rest of the flock.

 

[The Moonshiner]

That isn't what roosters do. At least not all of them.
Yes its spring and love is in the air but that rooster sounds like an @$$.
I see roosters calling hens over for snacks not what you're describing. I see roosters begging hens to follow them not what you're describing.
In fact I didn't see anything positive in your post only negativity and chaos. Also didn't hear anything about a want or need for him.
Sell him and let your hens get back to a happier life.

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

That isn't what roosters do. At least not all of them.
Yes its spring and love is in the air but that rooster sounds like an @$$.
I see roosters calling hens over for snacks not what you're describing. I see roosters begging hens to follow them not what you're describing.
In fact I didn't see anything positive in your post only negativity and chaos. Also didn't hear anything about a want or need for him.
Sell him and let your hens get back to a happier life.

X100!
He's not a gentleman rooster for sure... there are too many good ones out there to put up with his bad behavior. I vote move him on too.

 

[Trish1974]

Did you take the time to do proper integration or did you just toss him in with the hens?

 

[Ridgerunner]

How old is he? That sounds more like an immature cockerel than a mature rooster. A decent mature rooster would do none of that. Even my immature cockerels aren't that bad. I'd still get rid of him

Don't let his behavior put you off about trying a rooster in the future. Most mature roosters are nothing like that. Cockerels are more problematic so I'd suggest adding a mature rooster to a mature flock of hens. Just turn him loose. He should mate a couple to show he is the boss and it is done. Extremely peacefully. It is possible the dominant hen will put up some resistance. It can get physical between them. Not always but occasionally. When that happens he usually wins her over in a day or two and they become best buddies.

 

[Hyroler]

hey guys,
I have a flock of 5 hens that are almost 2 years old. A few months ago, my cousin asked if I would adopt one of her roosters. He had been fighting with another rooster and needed to be removed. I agreed for a few reasons. First, I thought my hens would benefit from having a rooster around, the head chicken was taking on some rooster like qualities in the absence of one... if you know what I mean. Also, I wanted some practice keeping a rooster as I planned on having them eventually, and I thought this one was a good start since it’s a silkie and they are a smaller breed.
So at first they fought, which I expected, but the rooster quickly asserted dominance even though he’s pretty small. For a while, he wouldn’t let them eat or drink until around midday, and he basically made them stay up on roosts all day and hardly ever let them come down. Now it’s not nearly so bad but they are all still scared of him. I could live with that, but here’s the problem. He’s so mean to two, especially one of my hens. He mounts them so often that their backs are almost bald. He pecks them for no reason and doesn’t let them get treats, or if they do they are the last. The one hen is scared to even come out of the coop, and he is constantly by her side bothering her when she does. Is this normal? She looks worse everyday, and I know this is cheesy, but it’s like he’s broken her spirit! I named her after my sister because she was the bossy one of the bunch, and always had fun and did what she wanted. She was so cool. Now she’s sad and scared all the time. I don’t like the rooster because of this, but if this is normal I’ll let it go. I know chickens are not people. And he’s not aggressive toward us or even the other 3 hens. But seeing the bald backs makes me cringe and makes me want to call in a chicken hit man. Thoughts?

I had young rooster that was terrorizing hens.Then one day my biggest hen jumped up his back grab him by back of his neck and road him into the ground.He was screaming like crazy.When she him up he went inside coop and didnt socialize for about 3 days.I think was embarassed but since then he is much more gentle with hens.He is still the boss but much less aggressive.He never eats first even with treats.He watches over hens till they are done eating then he eats.

 

[Emilyrich]

Thanks everyone! If this had been a temporary thing, I would have just wrote it off as seasonal but things have not been good since he’s been here, in my opinion, which was the end of January. I did integrate him slowly, but they have never been happy together. I kept expecting it to change but it hasn’t. The best case scenario for him is not interacting with the others at all. We even had a close call with a fox last week in a freak midday attack where one of my girls got a chunk of tail ripped off, and he just ran away and left them! Not exactly a gentleman rooster, for sure. I do think I’ll get rid of him. You’re right, Moonshiner. There has been no positives since he’s been here, and I didn’t realize it until you said that!