Rooster manners?

[Autumn Mama]

I am wondering after reading many posts on rooster behaviour, when *typically* I would begin to notice my roosters treating the hens well?

Currently a few roosters need to rehomed (ideally,

) and I am trying to choose one to keep, okay two, as one of them has a bad leg and I feel like I can offer him a nicer future than he might otherwise have.

The roosters are 12-14 weeks old...

When do the roosters begin to 'give treats to the hens'? I haven't seen this AT ALL. Mine just gobble everything in sight first, and one of the roosters is quite persistent at keeeping the others from treats I bring in like greens, or oatmeal. They all share the grower crumbles freely though. I also don't see them doing anything else with the hens, and am wondering exactly what I should be watching for.

They have a run for the day and a coop at night. I let them out in small groups into our fenced yard. They do not free range in the true sense of the words, however I want to keep a rooster to harmonize the flock.

Thanks!!!

 

[eggsited chickens]

I've been told to keep the rooster that is lowest on the pecking order, that way you don't have a rooster that is mean to the hens.

 

[eggsited chickens]

I've been told to keep the rooster that is lowest on the pecking order, that way you don't have a rooster that is mean to the hens.

 

[gritsar]

Are any of the roosters trying to mate the hens yet? About the time they become sexually mature and want to mate they start figuring out they can get more flies (or hens as the case may be) with honey than vinegar.
My former alpha roo would fake the girls out. He'd make a big fuss and his treat noise, like he'd found them an excellent treat and as soon as a girl ran over to check it out BAM! she got mated.

 

[ChooksChick]

I started seeing this behavior around 16 weeks.

 

[Autumn Mama]

I have seen a younger Barred Rock roo and Blue Laced Red Wyandotte roo trying to mate the hens. It's really fairly clumsy, with the roosters getting in close, and laying over them and pecking their heads and necks. Poor gals!

So yes, some mating behaviour has begun.

Our BLRW roo Roberto has his two hens that he hangs out with most of the time also BLRW, and these three were my first chooks. Then came my second group 2 and 1/2 weeks later. Roberto is well, kind of skittish, but allows my 7 year old to hold him. But he is the authority when everyone's in the run together. He's just not especially nice to any hens yet. But his two BLRW girls follow his lead all of the time, the other pullets, not so much, unless he chases them or corrects them, which he does sometimes.

I really like the laid-back-but-in-charge when Roberto's not around BR roo. He is calm, takes his time more with food, comes to us out of curiosity, can be picked up easily and is friendly towards all of the other roos and pullets.

And then there are two others, maybe 4 as I am *really* poor at sexing them.

They are EE'ers and another unknown breed, maybe red sexlinks, as they are white with brown markings.