There are a lot of variations on this, but what should happen is
The rooster dances. He drops his wing and kind of circles. This is telling the hen his intentions.
The hen squats. This spreads his weight into the ground throughout her body and not just through her legs. It is not really as bad as it looks with a big rooster and a little hen as long as she does her part and squats.
The rooster climbs on and grabs the back of her head. This head grab is not just for balance. It's his signal that he is in position and for her to raise her tail out of the way.
The rooster quickly touches his vent to hers. He hops off.
The hen stands up, fluffs up, and shakes. This is how she gets the sperm into the right place in her system.
Sometimes the rooster does not dance first but just grabs hold and tries to climb on. That is not really very good but not necessarily a fatal flaw.
Often the hen will start to run away. Sometimes the rooster ignores her and goes about his other business. Not a big deal.
Sometimes the rooster chases her and she almost immediately squats. Not a big deal. She was seeing if he was serious.
Sometimes he chases her and she keeps running. He may eventually give up. Or he may eventually catch her. If she squats when he catches her, again not a big deal. But if she continues to resist, she might get hurt.
Most of this is not a problem. But occasionally you get a rooster that is just a brute. It does not matter if the hen cooperates or not. He is rough and a brute. He can hurt them. If I have several hens having problems, I figure it is the rooster.
Sometimes you get a hen that will not do her part. There have been times that only one hen in the whole flock had a problem with becoming barebacked. When I removed that hen from the flock, the problem went away and never came back. I don't consider that the rooster's fault.
Often the problems are magnified when the rooster or the hens or both are adolescents. Usually when they mature the problems go away. Usually but not always. Sometimes the young roosters can't control those hormones running wild. Sometimes the young pullets don't understand what the rooster is trying to do. Some people consider chickens mating to be brutal and vicious. I don't unless something is wrong.
I don't know how you want to handle any of this with your young kids. I grew up on a farm and animals breeding was just a fact of life. I was pretty blaise with my kids about it. It was just a fact of life and not a big deal, although they were city kids. Them being city kids did make it a bit harder. I don't know if any of this will help you with your kids, but maybe it will help some. Good luck!!!
Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought....Abraham Lincoln (Freedom carries responsibility)
The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.....Judge Learned Hand (The more sure your are that your way is the only right way, the more likely you are wrong.)
Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought....Abraham Lincoln (Freedom carries responsibility)
The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.....Judge Learned Hand (The more sure your are that your way is the only right way, the more likely you are wrong.)
