Rooster Question

[Keeperoflock]

My chickens are 3 months, 3 weeks and 2 days old. So far to my knowledge there are 16 hens and 1 rooster. He's a big one too, much bigger than the others, but I think he's a mix. He looks just like a brahma but without the leg feathers. No one can tell me what he is but I have been told he's a mix. He started crowing about 2 weeks ago.

So far he's not been aggressive towards me but, he's horrible to the hens. He's not trying to mate at all he just grabs them all by the heads and WON'T let go. Is it normal to do this without mating?

I'm currently trying to reintroduce a chicken that got injured but the instant I put her down, if he's on the other side of the run and sees her, here he comes and it's an instant bad attack. I'm right there and separate them. I know she's bottom of the totem pole now but he is so much bigger than the rest of them and the girls are scared to death of him now. If he gets close to them, they run away.

If he's this aggressive, will I be on his radar too? I've always tried to respect his space but make sure he respects mine as well. I feed him treats, touch him, but lately, I've had to separate him from those he's attacking. I WAS glad I had a rooster but not so sure now.

 

[Bp10244]

I was in the same exact situation, but eventually my roo turned on me, so he’s in a new home now

 

[snow5164]

He’s beautiful looks like my rock cross red rooster .

I would never let him hurt the hens , he has to go !!grabbing by the neck and not letting go is not normal, don’t believe anyone that says that !!?

They go threw stages but I don’t think I’d trust a rooster with that attitude ..

 

[BirdGirl2004]

Honestly, you need to assert your domination asap... but his behavior with the other hens is completely normal. Me roo does the same things, and he is a Jersey Giant so he's a big boy. Roosters can be a very good thing to have, especially in a high predator area they can be great. My roo chases my hens around too, an pulls there feathers. Its just what roosters do. I think that you should be ok. I think that to assert your dominance that you should shoo him away off the ladies while he's mating. Also, I think that your rooster might be a Dark Cornish X with Barred Rock... He kinda looks likes this...

Hope this helps!!

 

[TheTwoRoos]

He doesn’t have to go.

Firstly,you have to understand lots of male animals in their teen months struggle when it comes to breeding,meaning they can’t figure it out.I have had drakes mate their partners heads,and puppies hump their partners heads,sound like he has the head grabbing concept down just not the rest,which is ok because he will learn,he is a young guy.He simply is just confused and I would Seperate him till he matures.
Asserting your dominance should not be pushing him off a hen,that’s what roosters do to compete and assure the other rooster doesn’t breed the hen,i think it’s almost to assure its their offspring but also to dominate,and you don’t wenna dominant that way,that’s competing.Simply assure he moves out your and pick hens up in his face quite often.

 

[BirdGirl2004]

He doesn’t have to go.

Firstly,you have to understand lots of male animals in their teen months struggle when it comes to breeding,meaning they can’t figure it out.I have had drakes mate their partners heads,and puppies hump their partners heads,sound like he has the head grabbing concept down just not the rest,which is ok because he will learn,he is a young guy.He simply is just confused and I would Seperate him till he matures.
Asserting your dominance should not be pushing him off a hen,that’s what roosters do to compete and assure the other rooster doesn’t breed the hen,i think it’s almost to assure its their offspring but also to dominate,and you don’t wenna dominant that way,that’s competing.Simply assure he moves out your and pick hens up in his face quite often.

I didn't mean to push him off... I simply meant to walk up and show that your the most dominant... Good ideas though

 

[JedJackson]

His behavior sounds like fairly normal pre-mating behavior to me. He's had no example to follow from adult roosters and hens, so he's confused and learning the ropes.

If it were me, I'd separate him out for a while. His own small run or even a crate. Maybe for a week. And then let him back and see if his behavior improves. If not, back in the crate for a while. It might not be a bad idea to separate him out for even longer, say a month or so. But if you do go this route, make sure he still can see the girls. Chickens are unhappy being by themselves.

As for his breed, he fits for a Colombian Plymouth rock. That's the nearest I can think of if he isn't a mix.

 

[sourland]

What @JedJackson said. He is not a rooster. He's a clueless cockerel who has no clue as to what he is doing. I would separate him from the flock until the pullets are sexually mature and will accept his advances. He may very well be a Colombian Plymouth Rock.

 

[llombardo]

The thing is this isn't a rooster, it's a cockerel. Do they know what to do or is it a learning process? I'm having the same problem. They kind of grab them in motion, you can tell they have no clue and the girls are the same age--they want nothing to do with it yet. Mine are 4 months.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

It’s a learning process.I have only had one male do this though,all the others get it.