Why does my rooster attack every chicken that comes out of the coop in the morning??

[baileybrood]

The rooster and hens usually get along fine all day. BUT, first thing in the morning is a different story. When I open the coop up (which opens into their 12 x 12 pen), the rooster comes out first. As soon as the next hen comes out, he attacks - chasing her all around the pen. When the next one comes out, he does the same thing!

This is the only time he's very aggressive with them. Any thoughts? I'd love to know why he does this!

 

[sourland]

Raging testosterone levels in the early morning.

 

[baileybrood]

Ahhh..... so, since he's only 9 months old, I guess this is going to go on for awhile??

 

[TallChickMagnet]

He's teaching them that he is the boss...

 

[sourland]

I'm 71 and mornings are still rough.

 

[CluckAcres]

My roosters do this every morning. He has been cooped up all night and when he is free in the mornings the first thing on his mind is to mate. They will go after all the hens for awhile trying to get some. LOL Thats a male for you!

 

[kreagerm]

Mine does the same thing. But mine runs them back into the coop. After he looks around the run, then he lets them out. Maybe he's checking to make sure there are no predators waiting for them in the run.

 

[baileybrood]

Well, sounds like this is normal behavior! I wasn't planning on having a rooster. I thought I had 5 hens - surprise! LOL He's been a good rooster - no aggression to me. Just this morning behavior stinks! I feel so sorry for my hens! I just lost one hen to a hawk the other day so I'm down to only 3 hens. Now that I've added fishing line and cd's to their pasture run, I hope to not have this happen again. So sad....

I better get him some more girls in the spring!

 

[fishnet1971]

Yup. it's normal. my 'Bird does that to almost all of his fluffy butts first thing in the morning too. Oh wait, 'Bird is anything but normal....

 

[gryeyes]

That's not an attack, that's LOVE. Well, morning love. For a chicken.