# Rooster picking on a hen



## angilene92 (May 2, 2013)

We just acquired two new hens to add to our flock. A buff orph and a barred rock, which the rock is molting. Well my rooster is chasing and pulling the rocks feathers out. He's being very mean to her. All the other chickens have accepted the two but he's just being a jerk to the rock. Please help me, not sure how to fix it.


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## LittleWings (Jul 15, 2013)

Is he still doing it?


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## angilene92 (May 2, 2013)

Yes, she stays inside the coop will not come out into the run. I don't know what else to do.


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## LittleWings (Jul 15, 2013)

I would try isolating the roo from the hens for a couple of days as a time out. If you put him back and he still acts like that to just the one hen put him in time out for a week. He might catch on. If he doesn't, you might have to consider re-homing him or the hen.


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## angilene92 (May 2, 2013)

Thanks for the advice. We will try putting him in timeout. I hope it works. 


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## LittleWings (Jul 15, 2013)

Me too. Keep us posted.


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## angilene92 (May 2, 2013)

Will do


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

maybe he wants to (seal the deal) & she keeps saying NO!


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## hildar (Oct 3, 2013)

piglett said:


> maybe he wants to (seal the deal) & she keeps saying NO!


I was just thinking that. My Delaware rooster chased Domino around for the whole day and scared the crap literally out of her. He would finally catch her breed and then she was running again. The more they run though the more it attracts the rooster. And yes she lost tons of feathers when he was doing that because he would try and catch her and she would still try and run and feathers went every wheres. Domino would hide if she could under a bush but he normally found her. Then the chase was on again.

My Delaware is no longer with her, I now have the older rooster with her, and if the ladies say no he walks off.


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## kirachristinegarcia (Apr 13, 2014)

Is it still pecking at it 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The reality is, no hen should suffer because of aggressiveness from a rooster. I never allowed a rooster to abuse a hen. The moment I saw a pattern the male was removed and either put with a hen that wouldn't allow it or put in a pen by himself until he was older.

Even now that I no longer raise them, my young males are separate from my hens because of their over aggressiveness. 

And if it doesn't stop, the roo is gone. Period. Females are much more important to me than an overly aggressive rooster.


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## hildar (Oct 3, 2013)

robin416 said:


> The reality is, no hen should suffer because of aggressiveness from a rooster. I never allowed a rooster to abuse a hen. The moment I saw a pattern the male was removed and either put with a hen that wouldn't allow it or put in a pen by himself until he was older.
> 
> Even now that I no longer raise them, my young males are separate from my hens because of their over aggressiveness.
> 
> And if it doesn't stop, the roo is gone. Period. Females are much more important to me than an overly aggressive rooster.


I noticed today that my younger Delaware rooster is having a time with the twins, He keeps trying to breed but he is being way to aggressive when trying to do it, and he catches the girls by the wings. I may have to move him again for awhile until when he gets a bit older and realizes how he is suppose to breed.


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

hildar said:


> I noticed today that my younger Delaware rooster is having a time with the twins, He keeps trying to breed but he is being way to aggressive when trying to do it, and he catches the girls by the wings. I may have to move him again for awhile until when he gets a bit older and realizes how he is suppose to breed.


might be a good idea for you to put him in the

"time out pen"

how old is this boy?


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## angilene92 (May 2, 2013)

He's almost 1. We've set up a place for him. But man was he mad when we seperated him. Lol I hope he gets the hint. I really want to keep him. 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

angilene92 said:


> He's almost 1. We've set up a place for him. But man was he mad when we seperated him. Lol I hope he gets the hint. I really want to keep him.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Chicken Forum


At that age he may never come around. If you have an older hen that will brook no foolishness on her part he might learn a thing or two from her.

I had one that all the girls were afraid of, except one. I pulled him, put her in with him. The first time he charged her she promptly beat the snot out of him. Had him quivering in a corner. He tried again, she repeated the lesson. By the time that hen was done with him he realized his old approach was not going to work and became much more gentle.


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

robin416 said:


> At that age he may never come around. If you have an older hen that will brook no foolishness on her part he might learn a thing or two from her.
> 
> I had one that all the girls were afraid of, except one. I pulled him, put her in with him. The first time he charged her she promptly beat the snot out of him. Had him quivering in a corner. He tried again, she repeated the lesson. By the time that hen was done with him he realized his old approach was not going to work and became much more gentle.


did he learn to be a lover rather than a rapist?


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

angilene92 said:


> He's almost 1. We've set up a place for him. But man was he mad when we seperated him. Lol I hope he gets the hint. I really want to keep him.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Chicken Forum


does this boy have any skills?

a good rooster will make a special noise when treats show up

he may eat a little of them but will allow the girls to have most of the goodies

does he ever act like he is protecting the hens or eggs?

when i go into my coops the roosters always watch me

they are rite there when i collect eggs

they don't attack (doing so would grounds for them to end up in the pot)

but they watch everything i do when i am near "their ladies"

so does this punk rooster do any of these things?

if not find a quality rooster

i have seen so many on places like craigslist.com


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

piglett said:


> did he learn to be a lover rather than a rapist?


He learned a lot.

I raised show birds and this guy was awesome in every way but that one. He learned and did produce some very nice chicks for me over several years.


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

robin416 said:


> He learned a lot.
> 
> I raised show birds and this guy was awesome in every way but that one. He learned and did produce some very nice chicks for me over several years.


i think we need pictures of these birds 

& on that note i better get my butt out of this chair

my wife will not be at all happy if i sit here all day talking chickens with you folks

piglett


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

piglett said:


> i think we need pictures of these birds
> 
> & on that note i better get my butt out of this chair
> 
> ...


LOL I keep telling myself the same thing. I'll find some of the pics of my troops and post them later.


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## angilene92 (May 2, 2013)

This is jack my Roo and Rosie the molting hen. He still chases her and won't hang with the flock. She's pretty much a loner.

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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

was Rosie added to the flock alone or with others at the same time?


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## angilene92 (May 2, 2013)

She was added with another one "buttercup" but she hangs with the flock.


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

adding so few at a time has risk
if she was one of a larger group she would be part of the flock, which she isn't
you can try splitting up the hens for a while (not going to be much fun)
then have just Rosie and maybe the alpha hen in the coop (no rooster)
this will bring rosie up through the ranks so she is the 2nd from the top
Rosie is a barred rock i'm guessing....?
do you have any others of that breed?
i can't take a flock of all white hens & just add 1 black hen
they will hate her because she is different
but if i added a few black hens all would be fine. 


good luck
piglett


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