# I do not understand this behavior? Normal?



## Shrub (Jul 25, 2018)

In the morning m rooster is an ahole to his ladies. During the day he is fine after about ten minutes for the rest of the day. 

So where they sleep the girls and the rooster sleep separated, but next to each other. They can hear and see each other. I don't know if I would trust them sleeping together because in the evenings they sometimes they will sit on my shoulder I can't have Chickadee (rooster) and the girls at the same time on my shoulder because Chicka pecks them to get out of his way, and they just want to snuggle all together.

But in the morning when I let them out of their coop, he chases them and pecks at them I guess kind of grabbing their feathers. He side walks to them as well. 

The girls are terrified of him in the morning they will run anywhere to escape him terrorizing them. They do have some places they can go where he is to big to follow them.

Is this normal behavior for a rooster? During the day he doesn't do this and all 3 of the chickens happily walk around the yard together and follow each other around.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

He's got hormones beginning to rage. The girls are not really afraid, they are not ready to be mated with.

I would leave him in the same place as the girls overnight. There is a pecking order even when it comes to roosting. He may have a preference for which hen he wants next to him during the night.

If he gets out of hand then you'll have to put him somewhere away from them until they mature more.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

Exactly what Robin said...he wants to mate, they don't, that's all it is. They do all need to get their pecking order situated. Just don't let him get out of hand.


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## JediPat (Sep 19, 2018)

Something that may help is to stop separating them at night, just let them mingle and settle.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

The side stepping is his “call” or mating dance. I think it’s very entertaining!


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## Shrub (Jul 25, 2018)

They still haven't mated even though they like 6/7months old? The girls will have non of that


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That's because they're not matured enough yet. The boys mature faster than the girls. If he becomes to insistent you might have to remove him until the girls catch up to him.


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## Shrub (Jul 25, 2018)

robin416 said:


> That's because they're not matured enough yet. The boys mature faster than the girls. If he becomes to insistent you might have to remove him until the girls catch up to him.


If he was rough or to bad with the girls then we would get rid of him, but he isn't so he gets to stay, even though hubby and him still dont get a long but he here to stay til we get some bigger chickens. Wont be til warmer weather though when we can get up the outside/outdoor cage area to introduce new hens. But might even talk hubby into keeping him then still. I enjoy his company.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The males are more entertaining but you're seeing what happens sometimes, having issues with humans. Is he a bantam? I don't think you ever said. They are less liable to do physical damage. It's the large fowl that can do some serious damage.


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## Shrub (Jul 25, 2018)

yes he is bantam not sure on breed.(prob mix of something) he is not and never shown any aggressiveness towards his girls or hubby who he dislikes. He doesn't force the girls to mate or anything like that. His my good boy.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I wouldn't rehome him, he can dislike hubby as long as he doesn't think it's a good thing to chase him. I had a d'Uccle that didn't like men. Tiny little thing would chase these full grown men all over the place until I could call him off.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I don’t really think the chicken girls mate until they are close to a year old. Mine didn’t anyways.


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