What to do with "rapist"/agressive young rooster?!

[FatChicksDigMe]

Hi guys,

I hope this is the right thread:/

So I have a flock of 20 chickens that I got this past April-all relatively the same age give or take a week. Thus far, all of them are hens except two barred rock roosters who are a week apart. Now, the older lead rooster is crowing already and has reached maturity, and I've been told the younger one has started but I haven't heard him myself. This question pertains to the older guy...

The thing is, all of my pullets are scared of him because he is so aggressive randomly. I get that he's all raging hormones, but he seriously injures them by biting their necks or wings; and it's not just the fat ones he goes after! There are 3 or 4 pullets who seem like they are reaching the point of lay, but have not shown interest in the nest boxes-these are the "fat" pullets this rooster always chases when I'm inside. I can't count the squawks of pain I hear on a daily basis anymore: my poor neighbors are very patient with our chickens!

What do I do with him? Or should I let him "rape" the pullets, however vulgar and terrible this sounds! Obviously, they aren't accepting him as their rooster, or in time will they understand their "roles" as hens? Gah! I am so frustrated cause he is so evil to them, and sometimes flaps his wings at me. One day I caught him and held him down so all the flock would see I am the alpha, and he sort of got the picture-he even eats out of my hand sometimes, before of which he never dared.

I'm just sad for my pullets, particularly my light brahma, cause they sound really abused from my bedroom window...lol, as I was typing this out they've screamed probably 5 times. I think they are immature still, while the rooster is a full adult now...

Thanks in advance

 

[junebuggena]

Cockerels mature faster than pullets. He will try to mate anything he can catch, including pullets that aren't quite ready yet. He's not 'raping' them. He has no ability to rationalize right or wrong, and he certainly can't understand the concept of consent. He's a chicken, not a human. He's acting on instinct and hormones. He just hasn't figured out yet that he needs to give the girls a bit of warning first. And the girls need to learn to submit and be still. Rooster are not very gentle when mating. They grab the hen by the back of the neck and dig their spurs into the hen's sides to hold on. It can seem very violent to a first time owner. And the girls do squawk quite loudly for the first few weeks. The pullets won't be mature for a few more months yet. I suggest rehoming both cockerels. Once your girls are older and mature, and if you still want a rooster for fertile eggs, then look for a nice boy that is slightly younger than the girls.

 

[FatChicksDigMe]

Thanks. I didn't know that

And yes, I know humans and chickens have different morals, lol. I don't want to rehome them, because he's so beautiful, and the other one is one of the tame ones that likes to sit in my lap/be petted. Darn it! Well thanks again for the help

 

[junebuggena]

You could keep the boys in a separate coop/pen if you have the means and space to do that, but that takes time to build and setup. The best solution for right now is to rehome.