Rooster Picking on one Specific hen.

[houndhavoc]

Hey everyone. I have been raising chickens over 10 years now and have never had this problem. My current flock of pullets and one rooster, are all around 5-6 months old. My flock consists of 5 dark Cornish (4 hens and my one and only rooster) 2 delewares, 2 turkens, 2 Plymoth Rocks, 2 Gold sex links and 1 Buff orpington. The past two days My rooster is chasing off one of my corninsh hens to the point where she does not coop up at night with the rest of my flock. I Am almost 100% possative that it is not another rooster since all birds came at the same time and they are from the same hatch. I have never had this happen so it has been bothering me. any advice would be great as I dont want to have to remove one or the other. Thank you in advance.

 

[Judy]

Usually on here it is recommended to isolate a bully for at least a day or two, or a week if needed, then return it to the flock, where it will now be at the bottom of the pecking order.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

sounds like he's removing her for you - If it were my problem, and I really wanted to keep both together, I'd take him out of the picture for a couple of nights and see how the picked one gets on with the rest without the aggressor around, then if she's accepted into the flock the order may change as he has to reaquaint with the flock and might quit it. If he doesn't you might have another rooster....

 

[ddmiddle7]

Achickenwrangler#1 :

sounds like he's removing her for you - If it were my problem, and I really wanted to keep both together, I'd take him out of the picture for a couple of nights and see how the picked one gets on with the rest without the aggressor around, then if she's accepted into the flock the order may change as he has to reaquaint with the flock and might quit it. If he doesn't you might have another rooster....

^X2​

 

[teach1rusl]

First - is it obvious that he's actually chasing her off?? Not just chasing her, and she won't submit to mating, so she's running to get away from THAT??? I'm just wondering if that's a possibility.

Have you had them for a while, and this is a very new behavior? Or are they all new to you??

I agree that I would try penning him separately for a few days. If the others are fine with her, and he still acts that way when you put him back in, then you have a decision to make - rehome him or her.

 

[houndhavoc]

I have had all of my flock since their first week of life. This is a very new behavior within the past two days. My whole flock has been out free range for the past month to month and a half, and all have been returning to the coop at night. The past two nights the one hen has not cooped up. He is chasing her off to where my whole flock is on one part of my yard and she is is on the complete other side. I couldn't tell you if she is being non receptive to his advances and is just running away.

I followed the advice of putting him in solitaire confinement and found her and put her in the coop over night. All of the other hens don't have a problem with her and the flock seems un disturbed without his presence.

My next question would be how long should I keep him separated? And then if he does not reintroduce back into happily how do I go about introducing a new rooster? would I possibly have the same results? Ive never had this problem ever.

Thank you in advance.

 

[teach1rusl]

I'd keep him separated for at least three days if possible. The downside of trying another rooster (assuming this rooster is good to/gentle with all of his hens except this one) is...what if many of the hens don't like the new roo??? There's always that risk. Of course if a new roo reacts the same way toward that one hen, then that gives you some kind of answer...lol.
It's always suggested that you quarantine any new chickens to your flock for about a month to make sure they don't pass along any possible illnesses. After quarantine is over, I think it's better to introduce them while free ranging, so hens can get away if needed...and under supervision.
Are you wanting chicks? Because you know your hens will do just fine without a rooster...

 

[houndhavoc]

I am keeping my roo to try and produce some chicks as I want to try and raise a batch of meat birds. I will try and see if this changes how things go within the flock. If not I will try and find a new home for my hen as that seems to be a better way of going around to solving problems. I can always add another set of hens to my flock.

Thank you for all the advice.

 

[houndhavoc]

Ok so I kept My rooster in solitaire confinement for almost a week and yesterday I let him out for a few hours and I had the same results with the same hen. I am kind of baffled at his behavior. I have never had a problem like this before. And I know the Hen in question is not a rooster because All 6 of the cornish birds I have came from the same hatch. I think That I will just trade off my hen for some eggs from a local and continue my small meat flock cross.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Taking my bully out and caging it for a few days always worked for me also. I had to do it three times though before he 'got it'. Good luck!