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Do Your Roosters Mate less in the Winter? - Page 2

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post #11 of 14

11/6/11 at 3:26pm

Illia
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Location: Forks, WA
Joined: 10/2009
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Far as I'm aware, roosters often mate less in the winter because of the dropped temp and less sun causes testosterone to decrease. I notice it here during mid-late winter too when it rains, and rains, and rains, and rains.

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post #12 of 14

11/6/11 at 5:07pm

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Ellie

Location: Redding, Ca.
Joined: 8/2007
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So, I'm thinking it is because there will be less to no eggs to fertilize. Perhaps this is their instinct, to mate when their sperm will produce chicks...not because they want to (which is what is sure seems like in the summer )

Ellie

post #13 of 14

11/7/11 at 10:14am

schumanw

Location: Jacksonville
Joined: 11/2011
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I live in North Florida, and my Rooster has not changed his mating habits, my chickens have not started to molt, and they have not reduced their egg production. I presume this is because we have not had any temperatures below 45F yet. This is my first year with chickens, so I have nothing to compare it to.

Bill Schuman
www.HCCNursery.com
www.NutritionTruth.net

post #14 of 14

1/29/13 at 5:44pm

ClareScifi

Joined: 3/2011
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I have not seen my rooster trying to mate his hens all winter, until today, and he appears to have ripped a hen's comb a bit. I think he kind of forgot how the process works, and is getting back in the saddle? Making a few blunders, like when he was first learning a year ago, and mounting the hens backwards?