Young rooster attacking older hens

[Lramz]

Hi everyone. We have a young barred rock rooster 3 months old that was hatched along with some pullets all within the flock. Now that he is 3 months old he is attacking the older 1 yr old easter egger hens. The older rooster does what he can but often gets there too late and the young rooster has already pulled feathers out of the girls and they are getting some small bald spots. He even has yanked off some of their saddles I put on to help. He was put in his separate area still among the flock to give the girls a break. Then just tonight he went into the coop with the others for bedtime and went right after the older hens pulling on their wings and yanking feathers out. So he was put in a large crate within the coop so the girls could calm down and be safe. We thought our main rooster would be more on top of this behavior, protect the girls more and teach the young rooster but maybe he is too chill. We have enough girls and space for two roosters but don't mind taking him out of the flock (maybe put him in bachelor pad until he's matured enough for his own flock ), but we are mainly wondering if this is normal behavior and he's just being a young jerk trying to dominate everyone or if he's being way too aggressive since I don't remember our main guy being this aggressive. I know chicken behavior can sometimes seem brutal and every chicken is different. What are your thoughts on the young rooster?

 

[aart]

What are your thoughts on the young rooster?

I'd get rid of him, pronto.

 

[bobbi-j]

We ate one this spring due to similar behavior. He tried to kill one of my hens, and viciously attacked another a few weeks later. Your cockerel is just coming into mating age, but that behavior is not acceptable.

 

[Alaskan]

I breed strongly for personality.

That is not acceptable behavior, he should be eaten.

 

[Lramz]

Thanks everyone. He's out of the flock now. We are sticking with our calm rooster and he's going to get extra treats now for being a good boy

 

[ElizaMay]

I'd get rid of him, pronto.

Three months is young for such aggression in a bird, and you'd have to keep him separated till he was beyond horomonal teenage behaviour, with no guarantee that would resolve it. An owner of such a bird would need to be prepared to roll the dice on him for a year in a separate pen in hopes he'll 'straighten up and fly right'? Any bird I had damaging others would be culled. (Just read that he is gone - it seems a sensible decision).

 

[Wolfie2]

Should'a read this post before I posted my question!