Top Hat rooster rejected and abused by hens

[VickieD]

We ordered 15 Red Star hens in June and got a Top Hat rooster as a surprise. They were fine until they got about 4 months old and the hens started pecking at the rooster. He refuses to fight back. They gang up on him and draw blood. We have separated him and keep trying to integrate him but he won't fight back, he just hides his head. Anyone have a solution other than keeping him separate. We were thinking about getting him 3 hens of his own kind but are not sure if they will beat him too.

 

[sourland]

Very frequently, and I can not provide the answer why, crested birds have their crests removed by their non crested flock mates. Generally once the behavior starts it becomes a bad habit especially if the birds are confined rather than free ranged. If you could provide him his own area with his own hens, it very likely would be the easiest solution to this problem.

 

[tinychicky]

polish can be whimpy. mine got beat up by bantam hens! seperate him and give him some other polish or other crested breed girls if you can. if not it's best you get rid of him and get a tougher rooster.

btw

 

[VickieD]

Looks like we will have to get his own girls. I hope they don't beat him up! Just wandering if we should get a rooster for the other girls- there are 30. Another thing about Mr. Beaker as we call him, he will not go into his house at night. He insists on sitting on top of it. It is a makeshift box big enough for a few chickens. The problem is it gets down to 29 degrees sometimes at night. We put him in the box at night for the past couple of months but I think its been long enough for him to get the idea. Again, any suggestions?

 

[21henmom]

polish can be whimpy. mine got beat up by bantam hens! seperate him and give him some other polish or other crested breed girls if you can. if not it's best you get rid of him and get a tougher rooster.

btw

Somehow my little Polish rooster thinks he is a tough guy-- all of his ladies buy his "tough guy" act and respect him