Single hen being attacked by roosters

[SamCO]

We have 19 hens and had one rooster until this spring, when a broody hatched 5 cockerels. They have just started to mature. We noticed our black Australorp (olive) was being targeted by the roosters (including our main roo) and she would run away and then just lay on the ground while they brutally ripped feathers out of her head. We put a saddle on her and locked up the main offending cockerels. About a week ago, I found that she had a gaping wound under her wing that seemed fresh. She hides at the back of the property or comes near humans because she’s so fearful of the boys. So a week ago, we locked up All the roosters, including our main guy. She healed up for the most part, still has a scab but while the roosters are locked up, she stays with the flock, and is about mid-pecking order among the hens. Yesterday, I let out our main roo, and one prospect for a roo to keep, and they both immediately went after Olive again, racing across to her and attacking her. The other hens all like our main roo, and are still chasing off the younger cockerel, who is trying to dance and show off for them.

Any experience with this? Should I get rid of all the Roos? We are culling 4/6 sometime this week, but we’re hoping to keep two.

Should we rehome the bullied hen?
Lock her up with a buddy or two for a while and then try reintroducing them?

Other suggestions?

Thank you.

 

[FrostRanger]

First, do a health check on Olive just to make sure everything is good. Next, you have 2 options. Rehome Olive and hope the boys don't pick a new target, or cull all the boys. Me personally since none of the hens bother her I'd be more inclined to cull the boys as I don't consider that acceptable behavior towards a hen at all. If they don't like her, fine, ignore her then, but don't attack the girls you're supposed to protect

 

[FunnyBunny89]

First, do a health check on Olive just to make sure everything is good. Next, you have 2 options. Rehome Olive and hope the boys don't pick a new target, or cull all the boys. Me personally since none of the hens bother her I'd be more inclined to cull the boys as I don't consider that acceptable behavior towards a hen at all. If they don't like her, fine, ignore her then, but don't attack the girls you're supposed to protect

I second this. If I had a roo hurting any hens, he'd be off to make someone dinner.

I recognize that it's sad though. I love my roo. If he ever turned, it would be a very sad day. Not an easy decision to make.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think you need to look at the flock as a whole. I myself am in this situation for the first time ever and I have had chickens for years.

So starting with your main rooster and the layers - how is that relationship? When you pulled the victim, how was the flock? If this is good, I would remove the victim, which is what I myself, am going to do. There is a theory, that when roosters do this, there is something wrong with the hen. Who knows, but I don't like this in my flock.

But fall is coming, and I need to downsize, and my main rooster is ok, but nothing great... and I don't like that he signals this hen out for attacking, driving her off of the flock... so he is on my cull list too.

I have 3 cockerels hatched in early June, and I am thinking I will keep one of those.

Always solve for peace in the flock, not so much individual birds.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

We have 19 hens and had one rooster until this spring, when a broody hatched 5 cockerels. They have just started to mature. We noticed our black Australorp (olive) was being targeted by the roosters (including our main roo) and she would run away and then just lay on the ground while they brutally ripped feathers out of her head. We put a saddle on her and locked up the main offending cockerels. About a week ago, I found that she had a gaping wound under her wing that seemed fresh. She hides at the back of the property or comes near humans because she’s so fearful of the boys. So a week ago, we locked up All the roosters, including our main guy. She healed up for the most part, still has a scab but while the roosters are locked up, she stays with the flock, and is about mid-pecking order among the hens. Yesterday, I let out our main roo, and one prospect for a roo to keep, and they both immediately went after Olive again, racing across to her and attacking her. The other hens all like our main roo, and are still chasing off the younger cockerel, who is trying to dance and show off for them.

Any experience with this? Should I get rid of all the Roos? We are culling 4/6 sometime this week, but we’re hoping to keep two.

Should we rehome the bullied hen?
Lock her up with a buddy or two for a while and then try reintroducing them?

Other suggestions?

Thank you.

If you have the time and money, I would build or purchase another coop. It looks like this one hen is the problem, so maybe you could have her and one or two of her close friends in a smaller, rooster free coop. There is also the possibility that the younger boys are following the older one’s lead, so you could try getting a rooster of a more docile breed, and raising him away from the other boys, to try and get a rooster who is kind to all his hens.