Why is my 18 week old rooster doing this to the hens

[Chrissy6969]

Why is the rooster attacking the hens there all 18 weeks old and I have 7 week old chickens when can I let them all play together

 

[BarnyardChaos]

He's a teenager high on hormones, and didn't have any elders to teach him some manners nor how to court a lady.

I'd put some pinless peepers on that boy, or separate him until the girls are old enough to start laying and accept a rooster who's eager to breed.

 

[sourland]

He's wanting to mate, and they are not. I would remove him from the flock until they are mature. If the behavior continues, I would permanently remove him as there are some overly aggressive roosters that actually kill hens. Too many good roosters to tolerate a bad one.

 

[Folly's place]

x3! You have a hormone soaked cockerel, and pullets, not mature hens and a rooster. He can be separated by a hardware cloth wall, or in a big dog crate in the coop, at least for a month or so. you might have maturing pullets by then, and a better situation.
Space, multiple feeders and waterers, all in out of sight areas at your coop and run, make flock interactions much smoother.
Another choice is to move him on elsewhere and raise some straight run chicks in spring, when you do have hens who will help raise the right cockerel up better.
Mary

 

[Mrs. K]

If this is your first year with chickens, I would remove him permanently from your flock. Roosters take a lot of experience, and there are a lot of poorly behaved roosters. And they need A LOT of space. An all hen flock is best to start with in my opinion. ESPECIALLY if you have children under 5 years old.

But the big thing, is you need to get him out of there.

A lot depends on how many chickens do you have? And how big is your set up? Letting birds out into a yard, for an hour or so a day in not effective.

Chicks are so tiny, that what appears to be more than enough room, turns out not to be enough room, when all are full grown. So this is often an issue for new owners.

Put up a notice at the feed store, or contact your county extension agent, or post on social media to find someone to take him. Do not expect money for him, roosters can be difficult to sell.

Mrs K

 

[Chrissy6969]

If this is your first year with chickens, I would remove him permanently from your flock. Roosters take a lot of experience, and there are a lot of poorly behaved roosters. And they need A LOT of space. An all hen flock is best to start with in my opinion. ESPECIALLY if you have children under 5 years old.

But the big thing, is you need to get him out of there.

A lot depends on how many chickens do you have? And how big is your set up? Letting birds out into a yard, for an hour or so a day in not effective.

Chicks are so tiny, that what appears to be more than enough room, turns out not to be enough room, when all are full grown. So this is often an issue for new owners.

Put up a notice at the feed store, or contact your county extension agent, or post on social media to find someone to take him. Do not expect money for him, roosters can be difficult to sell.

Mrs K

Thank you we let him roam around the yard he doesn't go anywhere I have 13 chickens all together I have 3 19
week old and 10 9 week old