Submissive rooster

[amos58]

I don't know if this is the correct forum, but today I noticed my very friendly silkie rooster and my silkie hen fighting. They would both hold on to each others feathers around the face and actually the rooster was bleeding a bit from his comb. I couldn't separate them, because they would go back to each other. And the last time I looked in the coop the rooster was on his back with the hen looking over him.
I do know that she is a hen, she has laid eggs and he crows they are both about 9 months old and raised together with the other silkies in there I have 1 cochin hen, 4 silkie hens 1 silkie rooster.
Any ideas on what is going on?
Thank you
Diane

 

[jhm47]

It's a dominance battle. Left alone, they will sort it out by themselves. It's hard to watch your pets fight like this, but if left alone, they will establish a pecking order and get along just fine for a long time. It is unusual to see a hen fighting a rooster though.

 

[AK_Button_Mama]

ok so its good to know that I am not the only one having this particular issue... at least I think that this is my issue I am about to make another thread on my problem so you can tell me if it is the same thing

 

[amos58]

Thank you Jim,
I hope you are right. It is very difficult to watch, I eventually had to walk away, after having picked them up, of course. These birds are so friendly and sweet. I just can't understand why this is starting to happen, unless he wants to start mating, which I haven't seen him do yet..
Thank you

 

[Jenski]

While chickens must sort out their pecking order, there is no reason to tolerate excessive violence in the pen ~ especially if it is resulting in escalating injuries, or even death. I would keep an eye on this situation, and if injuries continue I personally would separate them to avoid stepping over the line into a cannibalistic situation among your birds.

Good luck!

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Yeah, it's rather uncommon to see a hen and rooster sort it out, that way, at least, but we have a mix of banties and standard sized fowl and they do it every once in a while. I have a d'Uccle who shys away from my Polish hen. It's very amusing to watch them fight, too. The girls put up a good fight, and in our flock, often win. Our banty roos are all hen-pecked by someone.

 

[Birch Run Farm]

I just watched my dainty white araucana pullet kick butt big time yesterday when a much larger cockerel grabbed her to try and mate her. She was having none of that. What a spit fire! I have to keep him in a dog crate most of the day because he is too rambunctious with the ladies.

I seperated him from the angry pullet and put him back in his now safe place. She stalked back and forth growling and trying to get at him for a very long time. I am betting she will make a good biddy in the spring.