Rooster has started harassing broody with chick.

[Morrigan]

Duke, my 6 year old rooster, has heretofore always been great with broody hens and chicks. Multiple batches of chicks have been reared inside coop, some that he sired, but many that he did not. I thought he was totally trustworthy.

Until now. I gave a reliable broody a newly hatched chick to foster earlier this week. For the first 3 days, Mom stayed on her nest with the chick and everything was fine. Duke would look in on her and the new chick, but left them alone.

On Saturday, she led the chick off the nest and picked a corner of the coop. I moved some chick food and small waterer near her, which I have always done in the past. Duke immediately walked over and forced the broody from her spot. When she fluffed up to defend her chick, he began pecking her fairly aggressively, but stopped when she herded her chick back to her old nest box.

I screened off a portion of the coop with hardware cloth and transferred her and the chick there. Duke showed no interest in them. Today, the chick was looking stronger, so I opened the area back up to see if Mom wanted to try taking the chick outside. Duke immediately came back into the coop and really began putting the beat down on her. He also began pecking at the chick. I intervened, and got Duke away from her and out of the coop, and closed up the corner again. Duke's back to ignoring her, although the broody puffs and hisses when he walks by.

I pretty much see no option at this point, but to put old Duke down. It leaves me without a rooster, but I can't see how I can trust him again with my broody hens. Anyone have any thoughts about what would cause a previously gentle and attentive rooster to lose his mind?

 

[pennyJo1960]

Do you have a a spare coop he could stay in a few weeks ? or if you have him to warn the flock raise a new cockerel ?

 

[Morrigan]

Do you have a a spare coop he could stay in a few weeks ? or if you have him to warn the flock raise a new cockerel ?

I got plans for a second coop drawn up, but the weather has held up construction. No cockerels at the present either. I tried to raise a back-up rooster last summer, but it didn't work out.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That's a hard one. While some chickens live a lot longer and do fine, 6 is getting kind of old for a chicken. By now a younger male would likely have dethroned him if he were in a situation with younger males. He may be going senile.

It may just be something between him and that one hen, I don't know. But yes, I would not trust him with a broody and chicks. You can isolate him from that hen and chick if you want, he may be OK with the next broody and chicks. But I'd look for a replacement rooster.

 

[Trux]

I agree. If you intend to keep him till his replacement is found, isolate him from the flock. My roo has his own small cheap TSC coop I have under a lean to off the garage. Let him out during the day to hob knob with the girls thru the run fencing. Goes back in at night.

 

[Morrigan]

I don't have a good and humane way of keeping him separate him from the flock, unfortunately. He's had a good long run, and now it's his time I guess.

I have 5 eggs in the incubator now -- perhaps one of the will be the future flock leader. I have a fairly secure set up now, so the rooster isn't critical for protection, but it's going to be strange, not hearing a rooster crowing. I wonder if the hens will miss him. I have one 6 year old hen and she and Duke were the last two surviving members of my original flock. They always slept side by side on the roost. Decisions like this are the tough part about chicken keeping, that's for sure.

 

[Trux]

I don't have a good and humane way of keeping him separate him from the flock, unfortunately. He's had a good long run, and now it's his time I guess.

I have 5 eggs in the incubator now -- perhaps one of the will be the future flock leader. I have a fairly secure set up now, so the rooster isn't critical for protection, but it's going to be strange, not hearing a rooster crowing. I wonder if the hens will miss him. I have one 6 year old hen and she and Duke were the last two surviving members of my original flock. They always slept side by side on the roost. Decisions like this are the tough part about chicken keeping, that's for sure.

That they are!

 

[pennyJo1960]

It can be a tough choice no doubt kinda there myself right now have a marans that is called randi he is and he is leaving girls are actually doing well without him there first time in 3 years no boys at all

 

[Trux]

Actually I believe it is less stress for the girls not having a Roo. But with that said I am glad I have the one I do as I am not able to have birds shipped to me at the moment. So my new stock will be home raised this year and possibly next year too if they don't get a handle on the vND in our area.

 

[Shadrach]

I wouldn't kill a proven rooster in preference to an unproven chick.
Do you know the sex of the chick, or what breed it is?