14 week old cockerel being mean to younger pullets

[Dottie the Chicken]

I have a 14 week old Columbian Wyandotte cockerel. I would like to use him for breeding when he's older. His hormones must he kicking in. He's tried to mount a couple of older hens. He lives with a group of 7, 14 week old pullets and 7, 12 week old pullets. The two age groups have been living together for weeks. Anyway, tonight I let the pullets back into the pen (the two groups range with the 56 hens during the day) and Maxwell was being nasty to some/one of the younger pullets. Is he just favoring letting his flock of older girls eat first? He's getting big, and he was picking on the smallest of the younger batch. Anything I can do to discourage this nasty behavior? He was also walking around a bit holding one wing up higher. Trying to show dominance?

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

He's also starting to flap his wings at me as if trying to show me he's big stuff. He's never attacked me. How do I walk at him to show him I'm boss, but not harass him?

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

@JadeFarms

 

[ChickNanny13]

Not much help as I only keep layers ... You could try carrying a squirt bottle with a far reaching stream to ward him off to start with, works with nasty hens. Is he your only male? You may need to separate him from the females until everyone's 'old enough'.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

Not much help as I only keep layers ... You could try carrying a squirt bottle with a far reaching stream to ward him off to start with, works with nasty hens. Is he your only male? You may need to separate him from the females until everyone's 'old enough'.

Yep, my only male. He's the first cockerel I've raised from a chick.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

@aart

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

@sourland

 

[aart]

How do I walk at him to show him I'm boss, but not harass him?

Walk 'thru' him, make him get out of your way.
But move slow and be calm.
With that many birds (56 total?) that are ranging, it might be difficult and beyond my knowledge base.
@Shadrach has a good article about roosters, and may stop by to help.

 

[MrsTush]

I would keep your pullets separate until they are bigger. I have two roosters and they are like 14 year old boys at that age. My older hens just bump him off and go on. My other rooster doesn't even act like one.
As for running up on you.. I clap my hands at him and make kind of a hissing noise. Then he just takes off. He would do it to the pullets and they would run screaming and he loves it. I make sure he never got that reaction from me or he'd keep doing it. He doesn't do it hardly ever now. I also make a point to feed him meal worms or fruit out of my hand.