Rooster protecting pullets

[ajaite5991]

Hello lovely chickie farmers! I am quite baffled and would like to know if anyone heard of this or something similar. My partner and I got a small flock of three Swedish flower chickens (two hens one rooster), mix between Swedish flower and Barred roc, and a Barred roc hen. We finally got them settled and began hatching chicks. Out of our batch, only two were viable and hatched. Unfortunately, we had to take out our two older hens or no matter what, they would've killed those pullets putting them out there. We put them out with the flock after they were big enough, and we didn't need to give them anything to hide since our rooster came down to look at them after putting them in, they acknowledged him as bigger and he made sure to reinforce his acceptance of them to the other two hens.

My question is, tonight when my partner went to close them all up, one pullet keeps trying to lay on top the other and the other is hollering but won't move. Both hens are shoved up to one side of the coop on the roost from the rooster, and he will peek down at them and settle himself back down. If the hens get grumbly and start to move down, he'll shove them back. The pullets are his, so is this paternal instinct kicking in? Or is that just the rooster giving them a chance?

I used to raise chickens when I was younger but never TAUGHT the informational portion of it, just go out and feed the chickens, the incubation process, and how to pluck the feathers. We move their pen around the yard for fresh grass to forage but haven't done so because of the amount of rain. Much appreciated for advice to this situation.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hello lovely chickie farmers! I am quite baffled and would like to know if anyone heard of this or something similar. My partner and I got a small flock of three Swedish flower chickens (two hens one rooster), mix between Swedish flower and Barred roc, and a Barred roc hen. We finally got them settled and began hatching chicks. Out of our batch, only two were viable and hatched. Unfortunately, we had to take out our two older hens or no matter what, they would've killed those pullets putting them out there. We put them out with the flock after they were big enough, and we didn't need to give them anything to hide since our rooster came down to look at them after putting them in, they acknowledged him as bigger and he made sure to reinforce his acceptance of them to the other two hens.

My question is, tonight when my partner went to close them all up, one pullet keeps trying to lay on top the other and the other is hollering but won't move. Both hens are shoved up to one side of the coop on the roost from the rooster, and he will peek down at them and settle himself back down. If the hens get grumbly and start to move down, he'll shove them back. The pullets are his, so is this paternal instinct kicking in? Or is that just the rooster giving them a chance?

I used to raise chickens when I was younger but never TAUGHT the informational portion of it, just go out and feed the chickens, the incubation process, and how to pluck the feathers. We move their pen around the yard for fresh grass to forage but haven't done so because of the amount of rain. Much appreciated for advice to this situation.

Good roosters are typically pretty great at solving squabbles between their females and lower/younger males

 

[ajaite5991]

Good roosters are typically pretty great at solving squabbles between their females and lower/younger males

Oh my goodiness graciousness!! Thank you so much! I was worried it was a behavior that would cause concerns later. We don't know if they're male/female yet though.

 

[rural mouse]

Oh my goodiness graciousness!! Thank you so much! I was worried it was a behavior that would cause concerns later. We don't know if they're male/female yet though.

Doesn't matter. When mama abandons chicks, papa's job is to look after them after that.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Oh my goodiness graciousness!! Thank you so much! I was worried it was a behavior that would cause concerns later. We don't know if they're male/female yet though.

In my experience, good roosters will not care if the littles are male or female until puberty, and even then, will ignore males if they don't challenge hin

 

[PoppasGrill]

We’ve had a few clutches that the older hens would start bullying, and a Roo would step up beside the chicks and stay there while they scratch around. Those are the good Roos.
The not so good Roos will chase off the chicks and eat whatever the chicks were scratching at.
It’s nice to see a Roo being protective of the little ones.

 

[ajaite5991]

Well unfortunately, we had to separate the pullets completely. Last night the youngest laying hen, now no longer at the bottom of the pecking order goes after them. Once she did, the other two older chickens joined in. We have them safe, just wanted to update ya'll who gave advice/help. I know, the pecking is part of their natural behavior but when the youngest jumps off the ROOST and starts going after the pullets, time to step in. I'm still learning, both me and my partner.