Understanding Rooster Behavior

[jwankowski]

I had 3 hens in my original flock and added 6 new hens and a rooster that were all about 8 weeks old. The rooster is a Rhode Island Red as are some of the hens. They all seemed to get along surprisingly well; no real problems or fighting. Now, at 26 weeks old, the rooster seems to pick on the hens; trying to get them to mate I guess, and he sometimes acts aggressively. I'm only getting 1 to 2 eggs a day but the weather has been cold a few days( in the 20s and 30s early morning) and that might be it. Or is the roosters attitude the problem.

The flock has a 40 sq-ft coop, a 120 sq-ft covered run, and a 400 sq-ft open pen to run in. Those that fly out of the open pen come back in after a few hours of open range feeding. They have plenty of food and water inside and outside the coop and run. I had good egg production before I added the new hens and rooster, Could the rooster be the problem? Can I correct his behavior? Should I eliminate him from the flock? Please advise.

 

[CluckerFamily]

He is a teenager at the moment. If you have the space, you could remove him until he gets out of that teenage stage and then integrate him back into the flock. Do you have a separate smaller coop you can use for him?

 

[jwankowski]

He is a teenager at the moment. If you have the space, you could remove him until he gets out of that teenage stage and then integrate him back into the flock. Do you have a separate smaller coop you can use for him?

No extra coop but a cage available. When will he out of puberty?

 

[aart]

No extra coop but a cage available. When will he out of puberty?

Would be good to cage him for at least most of the days, if not 24/7, for a week or two.
Stress of randy cock/erel can definitely affect egg laying.

I assume your older birds are not laying at this time, but the younger ones are?

 

[Cris Gray]

He is a teenager at the moment. If you have the space, you could remove him until he gets out of that teenage stage and then integrate him back into the flock. Do you have a separate smaller coop you can use for him?

How do you know when he is out of that phase? They sleep together - I am pushing my husband to build another coop - but in the morning he wakes and starts at them so I either let him out alone - sometimes two go out with him but want back in shortly then on alternate days I let all but him out and they free range When he is out all he does is run at the coop and scare them It's not just the mating - he has it in for 3 hens - then four. They would lose feathers horribly so little by little he is alone

 

[Cris Gray]

He is at least a year and a half

 

[RobertaD1]

He is at least a year and a half

Sounds like you need a different rooster. Don't let him be aggressive with your girls! That is not a sign of a good rooster. The hens/pullets should invite him to mate... he shouldn't take them by force. Aggression in any fashion would make me put him in the freezer.

We had a rooster who was good to the hens, but not to me, once.... but he died at about 2 yrs old.

 

[Cris Gray]

Sounds like you need a different rooster. Don't let him be aggressive with your girls! That is not a sign of a good rooster. The hens/pullets should invite him to mate... he shouldn't take them by force. Aggression in any fashion would make me put him in the freezer.

We had a rooster who was good to the hens, but not to me, once.... but he died at about 2 yrs old.

This rooster is good to us but not to these certain hens - he leaves the youngest ones alone. I hate getting rid of him. He was a rescue rooster left as a pullet on a golf course in the rain

 

[RobertaD1]

This rooster is good to us but not to these certain hens - he leaves the youngest ones alone. I hate getting rid of him. He was a rescue rooster left as a pullet on a golf course in the rain

Well, if you think he has redeemable traits... than give him a time out that will cool his jets a bit. There have been several good options given. Good luck!