Silkie cockerel being a pain

[wemimew]

Hi everyone,
I hope this is the right area for this post, please let me know if not (I’m new ). I have a young flock of silkies most being 8 month old pullets. My batch of chicks (5) are 4-5mths old and had 2 cockerels in it that my daughter is really attached to. One is a sweetheart and the beta (he has poor feathering and brown colour staining - not good for breeding) and the other alpha will give me beautiful chicks but is being a right pain. They both get along fairly well as they were raised together. Alpha is fighting everyone that moves. He has gotten his butt handed to him by my older girls only once. I can’t keep him with his sisters because they cannot catch a break for him chasing and pecking them. He is great with people right now and goes straight to sleep when held. My question is - how long will this phase last? Have any of you had a cockerel do this? Do they turn on people once they befriend the hens? Any tips to settle him down? He is not crowing yet (the beta is) so I will dare say it will get worse before better. Thank you all for any help I don’t want to part with him or his brother but also don’t want my flock (or daughter) getting attacked non stop. The pic of is of alpha and my daughter having their cuddles a month or so ago.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

My question is - how long will this phase last? Have any of you had a cockerel do this? Do they turn on people once they befriend the hens? Any tips to settle him down?

Hi there, hope you are enjoying BYC!

This phase will last longer than your patience... by that I mean WAY too long. Yes, *sometimes* they can "turn" on humans.. My very friendliest and only lap COCKEREL was the ONLY one who ever attacked me once hormones were kicking in. I put up with for a very long time. It almost ruined rooster for me. Not all will get stupid though!

My biggest recommendation is... stag pen... until they reach about a year old or better. Let them be the best of friends in their own space. Give them a communal fence where they have to sweet talk the ladies and treat call to them. They get to learn some manners before taking their antics out on the ladies. My only issue with a stag pen and only two boys, specifically Silkies... they may constantly mount each other. Silkies were the only ones I've had that problem with... which I won't tolerate. But MANY a Silkie has had a bad attitude... after breeding them to meet the SOP (except project colors), one thing I can say is attitude breeds forward... and I will take non conforming over jerk all day long. If I did hatch from someone with attitude problems it would only be to replace them with an offspring of better character.

Every bird and situation will be unique. He may be a perfect gentleman once this phase passes. But having a peaceful flock during that time is entirely possible!

See, right now... they are hormone enraged horny teenagers with zero manners who will take what they want.. sometimes includes taking turns on the same pullet while all she can do is hunker down and take it. Give the hormones a little time to pass (including the season, with so much light induced extra strength) will help a ton to curb some of this behavior.

Your daughter is lovely!

 

[lomine]

I got my first Silkies this year. I'm not one to cuddle or coddle my birds but I sure do enjoy holding and petting the Silkies.

I've been hatching from my LF flock for a few years now. I cull cockerels for the freezer. I know it's not for everyone, but for me it's an important source of food. Last night I culled my first Silkie cockerel along with a really fun looking EE cockerel. Both of them were being pests with the pullets. Today there is a wonderful peace and calm in the coop. The Silkie pullets especially, seem much happier.

Since I'm not breeding to a standard (EEs have none), I'm not worried about that. But I would agree that given the choice, I'd pick a well behaved cockerel that has some faults over one that has a nasty attitude. They just aren't fun to live with. I've learned that I shouldn't keep a bird around just because it's pretty. Having a happy, calm flock is much more enjoyable than a crazy one with one extra bird that looks good.

 

[NNYchick]

I have also had to deal with this when I got silkies when the cockerel came of age is was very rough on the pullets. I didn’t know any better and he out of the blue died at 9 months old but I noticed a drastic change in the flock my girls got real friendly and more social with us. After that is realized how miserable he made the flock I vowed never to keep a rooster that is mean to the flock. The beta cockerel has turned into a handsome and gentle rooster. He doesn’t let any of the cockerels rough up the girls or his human caretaker (yes he has fought a feisty cockerel that was going after my ankles).
You could try to separate him till they are older, he may get his hormones under control. Then again there are so many good cockerels looking for a flock of their own why keep one with aggression in his genetics.

 

[NNYchick]

Oh I forgot to mention to not underestimate your beta cockerel he may just still come into his own. Mine was not much to look he was tiny and straggly looking at then around 9 months he really filled out. And has produced some gorgeous offspring.

 

[wemimew]

Thank you everyone for your replies! My little alpha has slightly settled during the last week (probably just uncomfortable - they are in a new run) but seems to be doing a good job of protecting his little sisters from the bigger angrier girls. I am becoming confident that he will one day have a go at us, the little bugger starts grumbling and ripping up grass when I have to try and catch one of the other girls (doesn’t matter if he is scared of that one - apparently I am still not allowed to do it) he has also started yelling like an angry crazy person when he sees me, not a very polite boy. I have set some very firm rooster rules with my daughter - she seems to understand what I may have to do one day and knows what she has to do to protect herself. I may set up a boys only pen if it gets out of control and see how that goes, I don’t think I could give him away knowing it may be the end of him. Wish me luck!!

 

[wemimew]

Oh I forgot to mention to not underestimate your beta cockerel he may just still come into his own. Mine was not much to look he was tiny and straggly looking at then around 9 months he really filled out. And has produced some gorgeous offspring.
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Your little guy is so handsome! My beta is a grey (Colombian?) but has alot of brown leaking through on his back and wings. He also has no floofy head feathers (only a tuft that has a streamer in it - so funny). Hopefully one day he turns from a frog into a prince!

 

[wemimew]

I got my first Silkies this year. I'm not one to cuddle or coddle my birds but I sure do enjoy holding and petting the Silkies.

I've been hatching from my LF flock for a few years now. I cull cockerels for the freezer. I know it's not for everyone, but for me it's an important source of food. Last night I culled my first Silkie cockerel along with a really fun looking EE cockerel. Both of them were being pests with the pullets. Today there is a wonderful peace and calm in the coop. The Silkie pullets especially, seem much happier.

Since I'm not breeding to a standard (EEs have none), I'm not worried about that. But I would agree that given the choice, I'd pick a well behaved cockerel that has some faults over one that has a nasty attitude. They just aren't fun to live with. I've learned that I shouldn't keep a bird around just because it's pretty. Having a happy, calm flock is much more enjoyable than a crazy one with one extra bird that looks good.

Absolutely! There is nothing nice about an upset flock, hopefully he stops his nonsense and turns into a gentleman.