Rooster chases pullets out of coop

So, for those who caught the first post about the rooster head pecking two new pullets I adopted and am trying to integrate into my first flock, the challenge continues. I reintroduced the two Wyandotte pullets to the rest of the flock after a separation period. There was no head pecking, however, when they all go in at night the rooster has chased the little ones out of the coop. So last night and tonight the two little ones have slept in the house. At least the roo isn't tormenting them during the day and they all share a fenced area together. I'm worried that if I leave them all in the coop at night the roo will start pecking them again. I'm their second home in 3 weeks and I'm afraid I may have to find them a new home if I can't get the roo to accept them into the flock.

Its okay to tell me to put on the big girl panties and let them work it out. I'm ready to accept that as my last option, but I'm hoping you all might have a softer, kinder solution/suggestion or even a few words of encouragement.

Here's a picture of the little cuties. I really hope I don't have to find them a new home.

Maybe you could remove the rooster for a couple nights and let the pullets find their places with the big girls. Sometimes, if you interrupt a behaviour, it doesn't reoccur.

This message was edited Jun 23, 2009 12:24 AM

I agree with Catscan. Remove the roo.. the girls need to be comfortable and happy..

I had a situation where the bantams would get totally freaked out when the big daddy got up on the roost.. He always let out a victory crow when he finally got up there.. and it scared them so bad, they didn't wanna go back in. I got to the point where I kept the bantams out till the big roo was on his perch..

I'm wondering if you put them in manually for a couple of nights AFTER the roo is up on his roost.. ?? They might get the idea? I doubt he would get down to chase them out.. I could be wrong.. but that's what I would do.. and I'm a BIG gurl.. LOL

ms Juris! Those Wyndottes look like their only about ten weeks old. I think Cat and ZZ's might have a good point. Years ago when working K-9 I could not put anybody in the squad car with the dog in there. But if I took the dog out and put a criminal in first, I could take the dog for a potty break and put him in the car and he would accept the criminal as being part of the unit as long as the person did not act up. Maybe removing the Roo long enough for the girls to fit in and then returning the Roo will work. I wish you good success. Haystack

Have you tried putting them on the roost after dark when everyone else has went to bed and are afraid to come down.
If they are there when he gets up in the morning he could be more excepting of them.
I have done this and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't i think it's the personality of the roo.

If this doesn't work then try removing the roo for a couple days

Chicken integration is always frustrating and a hit or miss thing and i always tell people be prepared sometimes it just doesn't work.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I had to assure my DH last night that you would all have ideas on things to try. We've already fallen in love with the little ones and don't want to have to find them a new home. DH's just worried that I'll ask him to build another coop just for the little ones. He's a soldier, not a carpenter. Again, thank you. I don't know how any of us first timer's could survive without you. God Bless.

I just introduced three silkies in with my flock and it went fairly well,but I had them in the same coop seperated from the others so they seen them and heard them for allmost three weeks before I put them in with the others,I had given my rooster away so that was not a problem,I used a spray bottle with water in it and sprayed the hens that would try to pick on the silkies,and now all they have to see is the bottle and they walk away,they do not like getting sprayed at all,you could try that when you see him getting to close and you think he is going to peck at them.

So I'm not the only one to use a spray bottle I see. I use it to spray the roo we have loose in the yard. There are times he wants to become dinner. He will soon have a pen, for some reason he loves to attack my daugher and it's her roo. She doesn't want to get rid of him but he just seems to have it out for her.

She must be some kind of great gal!!! Most would want to hit him right in the snot-locker. LOL How old is the brave young lady? She deserves much applause. (THE CROWD ROARS) Yea, yea, Whistle, whistle, Yuwhooooo. Haystack

My daughter is 11 and she now carries a stick to whack him with if he comes after her. He attacked her a week ago and she got 4 spur pokes in her leg. She still wants to keep him, but I whacked him pretty good for that one. His snot-locker got a whack.

:) my mom has to carry a stick when she goes in the yard bc my roo thinks she doesn't belong & attacks her. Do you put anything besides water in your spray bottle? I also have a "problem" roo besides that one.. & I refuse to turn him into dinner. I may rehome him but at this point but i refuse to eat him. I think he's just a teenage boy at this point who is a little grouchy.

I don't know Greykyttyn! Chicken noodle soup sounds pretty good to me. I have always liked teenagers, but I have always liked chicken noodle soup also. Hmmmm Soup it is!!! Here it is almost 11pm and I'm thinking soup. Na I need some sleep worse. Hay

I had to put my silkies back by themselves Monday,things seemed to be going well and then it got bad all at once,the silkie hens were pecked on the head and held down by the bigger hens,the rooster fought back right from the begining so they never bothered him,the silkie hens would not stand up for themselves so they were pecked at.