Young rooster pulling out neck and back feathers (and eating them🤦🏼‍♀️) of 8 young hens. Evil or learning?

[BigBabyschick]

Newbie here. We got 1 EE rooster (?6 months old) and 8 hens (similar age and not yet laying) for our first flock. We ALSO picked up 2 laying Wyandottes and their Mature Good rooster. They wyandottes are are separated from the younger flock but can see/smell/hear each other. The EE Roo has begun crowing and young ladies are not laying. His behavior seems aggressive to me. He grabs them when they lest expect it and bites/pulls out neck and back feathers and EATS them. He’s making NO attempt to mount them. Is he just stupid and learning or is he evil?! The young flock was previously housed together and had 2 additional cockerels with them. I was told he was very submissive in the previous home…
I seperated him from them for 2 days and as soo as they rejoined, he pulled feathers from 3 hens in a matter of 5 min. He’s back in TimeOut!
What to do?

 

[nuthatched]

He could be still learning though low protein often causes feather eating, what's your birds diet?

 

[BigBabyschick]

He could be still learning though low protein often causes feather eating, what's your birds diet?

I kept the same feed that they have all been on previously. It’s an 18% protein all flock pellets and crumble mixed with black oil SF seeds. They also get black soldier fly grubs for treats. That said, I’m open to suggestions!

 

[jpalmatier83]

I kept the same feed that they have all been on previously. It’s an 18% protein all flock pellets and crumble mixed with black oil SF seeds. They also get black soldier fly grubs for treats. That said, I’m open to suggestions!

Adding the BO seeds? In what proportion?

I’m not hearing evil. The fact that the girls aren’t even laying yet makes me think they’re all learning.

Since he’s actually eating the feathers, not just pulling them, I’d look closer at what @nuthatched is asking about feed and protein.

Frankly, it doesn’t even sound like breeding behavior.

 

[nuthatched]

I kept the same feed that they have all been on previously. It’s an 18% protein all flock pellets and crumble mixed with black oil SF seeds. They also get black soldier fly grubs for treats. That said, I’m open to suggestions!

Thats sounds fine, though I'd cut out the sunflower seeds as part of the feed, they have too much fat and will dilute the nutrition in the feed.
Maybe try to seperate him for a few days to calm him down, your girls aren't ready.

 

[bobbi-j]

How much space do the cockerel and pullets have? Can the girls get away from him? I agree that it could be a feed/protein problem. Overcrowding can also cause feather picking. Do you plan to eventually merge these two flocks? If so, if it were my flock, I’d probably get rid of the cockerel.

 

[Mrs. K]

Roosters and cockerels take a lot of experience and a lot of space. If this is your first year with chickens, I would recommend removing both males. Inexperienced people tend not to pick up on cues indicating aggression or make excuses for the bird. They vastly underestimate the violence of aggressive roosters.

If you have small children under the age of 6, I would strongly recommend letting both males got. Children tend to be attacked first, and at head level which can knock them down or/and scare the face or eyes.

As for your flocks, keeping multiple roosters tends to multiply the chances that it will go wrong. With just 10 hens, the cockerels can attack hens and pullets, attack each other (they don't call it cockfighting for nothing) and attack people.

You really have too many roosters for what I am thinking is your set up. You could post pictures of your set up. It is just often times new people starting with chicks do not have as much space as they need for full size birds. Being raised together does nothing for that in the long term.

Ridgerunner often asks what are your goals for having roosters, and it is a good question. Really you only need roosters if you are needing to hatch chicks, and when you do hatch chicks - you get more roosters!

If you have the cockerel, just because you got the roosters...no reason to keep the cockerel.

I think a first good step, is to remove the cockerel. Then I would combine the hen/pullet flocks, keeping the Good Mature Rooster - and wait and see.

Mrs K