How do chickens mate?

[cocoaskin]

Can anyone tell me how chickens mate, becuase I have a rooster that has been climbing on top of both of my two hens. Any ideas?
Thanks!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Considering the mechanics involved, it's incredible that chickens are able to reproduce. The rooster doesn't have any body parts to insert into the hen. Instead, he has to bend his body as he stands on the back of the hen so that his back opening -- his cloaca, the same opening where his poop comes out -- touches the hen's cloaca. It's actually called a cloacal kiss, and that brief touch is all that's necessary for the rooster to pass his seed into the hen. The hen is able to store the rooster's sperm to fertilize several of her eggs that will be laid over the next week or so.

 

[thespinningcottage]

Quote:
That makes sense. However, I would have to never, ever tell my husband what I had done - and if he found a stray feather in his electric shaver, how would I ever explain that.....

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
This is why if you want good fertilization rates for hatching eggs, you should take your husbands' beard trimmers and shave around the vents of hens and roosters that have heavily-feathered, fluffy rear ends; otherwise, adequate contact may not be made.

 

[mrstiffanymayer]

I think the term "bumping uglies" really describes it well..hehe.

 

[Shelanie]

That would be mating.

 

[Wynette]

I'm pretty sure, from your description, that what you're seeing is your rooster is mating your hens.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

You can look it up on google or EVEN youtube.

It is a run after the hen by the roo, followed by a squat by the hen followed by a mount of the roo ON the BACK and maybe even a hold of the hens feathers by the roo, then a jump off of the roo, a ruffle of the feathers by the hen and then OF COURSE a long and obnoxious crow by the roo with maybe even a few wing flaps.

That, it chicken mating.

 

[DuckLady]

Cocoaskin, I hope your question was answered.
Folks, please remember that this is a place where questions should be answered seriously when trying to educate about chickens.

I removed the besides-the-point posts.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

cocoaskin, My Roo will do the 'drop wing boogy dance around the hen before and after mating. That would be another sure sign. It is 'very' quick and mating season is ALL year!.