My rooster was mating a couple of my hens tonight. After mounting one, He got off, she started to walk away, and then he started chasing her biting on to the tip of her wing. I've never seen him do that! Is this normal?

One of my roosters is also starting to harass my hens. I have 2 roosters and 24 hens, all about 9 weeks old. The rooster is using his beak to bite them on the back.

I have never trimmed any beaks for this flock. I am thinking that it may be time to do so, especially for the rooster.

If beak trimming is the correct thing to do, can someone explain the most proven, time tested method? I don't want to cause them harm.

Is there something that I can practice on before I proceed with trimming the actual beaks?

What your roosters are doing is normal. What they are doing is chasing them to mount them and they won't let him and if he cant catch her he will bite her on the back or on the wing to get her to stop. My roosters especial the young one do that rather often. Hope it helps.

YoYo

I don't think trimming his beak will discourage him, and I would urge you not to go that direction. The best thing you could do would be to separate the roosters or find one of them a good home. With just one rooster, he will settle down and mind his flock very well. With two, they are always trying to prove something to each other. The pullets will learn to put up with it (I think it's hilarious when the rooster is finished and the hen furiously fluffs her feathers around like it was just so humiliating!). And it's part of the natural order of things. A good rooster will look out for his hens and find them treats, always letting them have first pickings.
Beaks (top part) are removed when chickens will be over crowded and prone to cannibalism. Most production layers in the big caged layer operations are debeaked so they won't kill each other. You don't need to do this if you solve your rooster problem. Good luck.

Dr Smith, I laughed out loud when you wrote about the humiliation! So true! I feel badly for my girls when they're used and discarded so haphazardly! And all the other girls just kind of stand around and watch. Poor things!

They are terrifically amusing! Our main rooster likes to have me drop barley on his back so he can call the hens to help him peck it off. He won't eat the barley on the floor: just calls the hens to that, but he immediately starts eating what falls on his back while calling the girls. They love their routines. Thanks for your kind words.