When Roosters Attack..

[Dvalland]

Relatively new chicken mom here. I have 3 silkie roosters that I hatched who are now 18 weeks old. I moved the boys and my 14 pullets who are 12 week old (all bigger than the silkies) out into our big coop and run about 10 days ago. Up until that point they were separated, but could see each other through wire. Good news is the chickens are all getting along great. Zero issues with the boys fighting with each other or the hens. They all snuggle up happily every night. Bad news is the dominant rooster (only one who crows) has now started biting. He is also the friendliest rooster so it’s a bit confusing. He will bite my feet when I go in the run or my hands if I reach them out towards him. But if I pick him up he loves it. Closes his eyes, let’s me pet him, And even will sit on my lap for a golf cart ride around our 10 acre property. He makes little cooing and chirping noises and let’s me pet him happily the entire time I hold him. Put him On the ground and he’s doing the roaster shuffle. Is he just adjusting to the girls and his teenage hormones?? Or is this something that will escalate to the point of him not wanting to be handled at all? His brother silkie also went after my leg once, but he is a bit special and felt like I was being smacked with a feather duster 😂 no biting from that one. The third rooster has not shown any signs of aggression so far. Thoughts?

 

[JaeG]

It's a bit of a lottery with roosters. My English Araucana rooster would bite me if I picked him up in his youth but he's a total teddy bear now that he's over a year old. I didn't trust him around the kids when he was young so he lived in a run (but still within the flock) until I felt he was old enough to treat the pullets well and they are currently penned up for breeding. But I think he'd be fine free ranging with the rest now.

Until they hit a year old they can be very unpredictable due to hormones. As long as you don't feel unsafe with him around I'd see how things went.

 

[Dvalland]

It's a bit of a lottery with roosters. My English Araucana rooster would bite me if I picked him up in his youth but he's a total teddy bear now that he's over a year old. I didn't trust him around the kids when he was young so he lived in a run (but still within the flock) until I felt he was old enough to treat the pullets well and they are currently penned up for breeding. But I think he'd be fine free ranging with the rest now.

Until they hit a year old they can be very unpredictable due to hormones. As long as you don't feel unsafe with him around I'd see how things went.

Luckily so far no issues with pullets. Mostly seems like it’s when I first go in the run. Even tonight….went out there and he is shuffling and tried to bite when I grabbed him. The second he is in my arms he melts. I can pet all around his face and beak and he never once tries to bite. He has always like being held, heck he even had a bath without an ounce of resistance! The biting just showed up overnight and I don’t know what to to about it other than hope it stops.

 

[Sassy Hen]

I have a White Leghorn rooster than can get a little aggressive too. As long as there aren't any injuries I think you can just let them adjust for a while.