Unusual (to me) rooster behavior

[TimG]

These evening when I closed my chickens in, I noticed that one rooster was taking particular interest in one of the hens and the hen was obviously disturbed. The rooster would make a half-hearted attempt at mounted the hen, the hen crouched, the rooster got off, went in front of the hen and bit the hen's comb. Not just a little peck, he grabbed on and yanked and held on. He drew blood.

This rooster is generally very well behaved, I've never seen this sort of behavior.

I put the hen in a different pen for the night and the rooster isn't picking on anyone else.

Just curious if anyone can suggest what is going on.

 

[lauralou]

Well Tim, I can't really tell you what's going on with that, but I can tell you that I've seen it before. I had a rooster who developed a "dislike" for one the hens this summer. She would submit to him, but that just didn't seem to satisfy him. He would try to hurt her. Like you, I moved the hen to another pen. One day, while free ranging, he bit the blade of her comb off. I saw it happen. What can I say, that was his last mistake.

Okay, so the mistake was actually mine, for letting everyone out to free range together. Regardless, the rooster was delicious. And the hen has recovered nicely.

Hope things work out better at your place.