Three hens afraid to leave coop, scared of Rooster

[sandy sea]

At first just one of my hens were afraid of my rooster, now there are three. Hens are 2 yrs old and I got them at the same time. The Rooster is 1 yr old. I am really getting hired of the three hens just staying in the coop. The extra poop they leave in the coop I feel is unnessary. I do not know way, but the Rooster attacks them and so they do not leave the coop. What should I do? I like the rooster, no problem to me or the other hens. Should I just rehome the three hens? What can I do to get them to get along?

 

[Uppity Peon]

It's a tough question to answer. Perhaps you can give them a refuge outside the coop. My pullets run to my "jungle gym" to avoid the roosters.

 

[ginbart]

Well lets see, do you need the rooster? Or do you need eggs? Are you hoping to have chicks sometime? If it were me I would rehome the roo and keep the hens. Do you have any other roos or is he the main man?

Maybe you could pen him up somewhere until he gets over attacking them. Or, is he attacking or trying to do the rooster thing, if you know what I mean.

Just some idea's for you to think about. Good luck

 

[gritsar]

If he's not actually hurting them by causing injury or blood, I'd pretty much scoot those three hens out the door and tell them to get over it.
A rooster can be a little rough on a hen while he's trying to dominate them. It looks horrible to us, but it's part of being a chicken. Once they have accepted his dominance all will be well in their world.
I have one hen that has never accepted my rooster's dominance. She won't let him mate her and pretty much just avoids him outside. Too bad for her because the girls that do accept him get the best treats that he can find for them.

 

[becky3086]

I am glad someone asked this because in my EE pen I have 2 hens and a roo that stay hidden in the house and don't go into the yard(the roo has started to go out sometimes) because I have two beautiful blue EE roos in the yard. The two hens in the house are rumpless and I wondered if that had something to do with it, if they were more skittish or something because the other three hens stay out with the blue roos all the time. Funny thing is that they all got along when they were in their little pen but now that I have moved them to the big pen, they seem to have this problem.

 

[CRAZYROOSTERMAN]

Hey whats the breed name of that rooster on your avatar picture??

 

[CRAZYROOSTERMAN]

i meant to sandy sea's picture?

 

[StacyMc]

I’ve adopted two 2.5yeat old hens. One of them is afraid of rooster. Previous owner says she had a bad experience with a mean rooster. I thought my roo was chasing her but I think he’s developed anger toward herbecause she won’t let him dominate or mate with him. My solution, since they have been penned up since snow is in the run, is to provide more roosts throughout the coop. That way she needn’t hide per say in a corner on her own. She uses the accessory roost and therefore appears less traumatized by avoiding him.