Why is my Rooster chasing my hens to brood?

[chickenladybug]

I know it's a purely hormonal thing, but my roosters (bantam and a white brahma) are chasing our older hens into the nesting boxes onto the eggs. I have never heard of a rooster doing this, but if these certain hens will get out of the box they will raise heck and chase her until she gets back in the box. The white brahma will hang by the door but the bantam will walk up tot the box and check on her. They will let them get a drink or eat, but will flip the moment the hens leave the coop. They also check the boxes multiple times a day. Has anyone else seen this before? How can I stop it? Should I stop it?

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Wow! you see som'thin new every day!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

maybe find out which roo is the ring-leader and separate him for a while?

 

[keesmom]

How old are the males? What are the ages of the singled out females? How many birds do you have and what are the dimensions of their coop and run?

While it may look like they want the hens in the nesting boxes on eggs, I suspect they are harassing those hens to the point that they'd rather hide in the nesting boxes than be subject to the males' attentions.

 

[RWise]

I see actions like this with certain hens during their molt, and with broodies finishing a clutch. My thought is they are telling them to start laying again,,, they run and hide, in a nest or on the roost, else they get mated a lot.

 

[SueT]

Are they adult roosters?
Or just feisty young cockerels? How many of each?
btw, welcome to BYC!

 

[chickenladybug]

How old are the males? What are the ages of the singled out females? How many birds do you have and what are the dimensions of their coop and run?

While it may look like they want the hens in the nesting boxes on eggs, I suspect they are harassing those hens to the point that they'd rather hide in the nesting boxes than be subject to the males' attentions.

Both roosters are about 2 years old and the hens are the same. The hens are still laying except for first one, who after a week of this chasing actually quit laying. We have 6 nesting boxes, the coop is 8x10, a 8x4 attaches run, and they have been free ranging from about 8 an til dusk for a few months.
We have the two roosters, 8 large hens, and 9 bantam hens.
Funny enough, the bantam rooster is at the top of the pecking order between the roosters because we had to seperate the white Brahma for health stuff for two weeks.
I’ll have to get a video of it because it is so strange. If we toss a hen outside they will chase her back into the coop and into the box. But if we toss her out into the coop they leave her alone.