Young birds/mature roosters

[hikerchick]

I have 6 week old chicks in a small coop in my chicken yard. I was feeding them today and one jumped out; immediately the rooster grabbed her. I was able to get her away. When I let them out into the yard, will he hurt them? Do I have to leave them cooped up until they are fully grown?

 

[Lollipop]

My passion is gamefowl. In my little hobby I raise many young roosters that don`t especially like each other. To keep peace, I put them all, even various young ages, together in one large pen, under the guidence of one mature cock. The idea is, if anyone is gonna whip butt, it`s gonna be the old cock. I can keep them together peacefully in this maner until they are around 10 months old. Various mature cocks have proven to me that it`s not the cocks that will harm the youngsters, it`s the hens. They pose far more danger to new youngsters being introduced than a cock. I suppose there are exceptions and I would certainly observe for a while when introducing, but the answers to your questions are no and no.........Pop

 

[pkeeler]

It wasn't necessarily an attack. Hens will, when they think there is danger (such as a large two legged creature nearby), will grab chicks to keep them underneath the hen. The beak is not the most subtle grasping organ

If you are going to have chicks with this rooster; and that rooster is going to kill chicks, something has to go. Some roosters will do this. Mine does not and is protective (but mama doesn't let him get too close anyway).

 

[speckledhen]

My late great flock rooster, Hawkeye, would never hurt a chick. I could put him in a pen of babies and he'd act very fatherly. If I put a six week old chick in a pen with my Blue Orp, he'd chase her down like she was a grown hen, the perv. I'd say it depends on the rooster.

 

[hikerchick]

OK- I think my roo is a perv..he jumps on ducks and once even on a drake. I think he would jump a stuffed chicken if I had one. Problem is, I have only one hen right now. Working on growing more, obviously.