Why did my rooster attack my hen?

[Skylexa]

All my chickens are four months old.
The rooster in particular is an Easter Egger, and the hen he attacked is a Rhode Island Red (not sure if that matters tho).

Anyway, Bob was doing his usual thing. Crowing and squawking as I was cleaning out the coop.
But suddenly, he grabbed Ginger's neck. He was trying to use his legs to scratch at her while he ripped out her feathers.
I threw the wood shavings in my hands to make him stop, and it worked. Fortunately not much damage was done to her, just a missing neck feather or two.
As far as I know, Bob has never done this before. Surely it couldn't be breeding behavior since they're exactly four months old?
Maybe he was just worked up or wanted to assert dominance, but attacking a hen-- his very own girlfriend-- is definitely not right.

 

[Tonyroo]

He's becoming a young adult rooster. His hormones are making him do all that. I went through that last year with my own rooster. He was a total jerk and hogging the food from the hens. Took 2 month to change to a gentleman.

His sons were the same way. But they went to freezer camp .

 

[Skylexa]

He's becoming a young adult rooster. His hormones are making him do all that. I went through that last year with my own rooster. He was a total jerk and hogging the food from the hens. Took 2 month to change to a gentleman.

His sons were the same way. But they went to freezer camp .

Haha I like that "freezer camp"
But thanks for the reply! Hopefully he'll chill out soon.

 

[Ceakmama]

My cockerels are 3.5 months and beginning to act the same way.

 

[raingarden]

They often grab a hen by the back of the neck before mounting them.

 

[aart]

As far as I know, Bob has never done this before. Surely it couldn't be breeding behavior since they're exactly four months old?

Males become sexually mature at around 4 months.
Females not until they start laying at around 6 months.
Might want to separate the male until the females are older.

 

[Pollito Pelon]

One month old roo pecks at anything that moves he is now 3 months waiting for him to grow little older than he will be going into a stew
No need for aggressive flock