TIME IS TICKING!!! ROOSTER!!!

[Future vet]

Back at the chicken coop... RECAP> this past year we bought 4 chicks from Tractor Supply Co. This selection was supposedly- RHODE ISLAND RED, ALL HENS. The chicks are a little older than 3 months old. We realized only two are what the label said. One is a Cinnamon Queen hen while the other is a Rhode Island Red rooster. PROBLEM> Nothing is wrong with the Cinnamon Queen because I already have one. It's the rooster...He is very sweet! We don't want to sell him however, he can't stay with the girls. The four chicks are a little flock they never leave each other. We would like to move the rooster from the hen house. QUESTIONS> Is this too stressful? What is the deadline to when he will start mating with the hens? Is it fine for him to be in with the ducks?(that are females) Should he have his own coop?

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Is this too stressful?

I am not sure exactly what you are describing in the post, but nothing is wrong with moving a rooster to his own location as long as there is a reason to it. That brings me to my question: why can't he stay with the pullets?

What is the deadline to when he will start mating with the hens?

Cockerels begin proper breeding at about four-to-five months old. They will prepare themselves (grabbing the pullet's neck and climbing onto her back) at usually a younger age.

Is it fine for him to be in with the ducks?(that are females)

A rooster mating a duck hen will not injure her; but a drake mating a chicken hen will kill or severely injure the hen. Chickens and ducks should not be together for fighting and breeding reasons, but you can keep a rooster with duck hens if all goes well.

Should he have his own coop?

He doesn't need his own coop, but he needs shelter of some sort.

 

[LTAY1946]

Hello and Welcome to BYC. Glad to have you with us in this poultry loving community.

 

[Future vet]

I am not sure exactly what you are describing in the post, but nothing is wrong with moving a rooster to his own location as long as there is a reason to it. That brings me to my question: why can't he stay with the pullets?


Cockerels begin proper breeding at about four-to-five months old. They will prepare themselves (grabbing the pullet's neck and climbing onto her back) at usually a younger age.


A rooster mating a duck hen will not injure her; but a drake mating a chicken hen will kill or severely injure the hen. Chickens and ducks should not be together for fighting and breeding reasons, but you can keep a rooster with duck hens if all goes well.


He doesn't need his own coop, but he needs shelter of some sort.

Thank you so much! I wasn't quite sure if separating him would be too stressful. I don't want him with the hens because we currently don't want any chicks at the time. Thanks for your time!!!

 

[LTAY1946]

Having a rooster with the hens will not get you chicks unless you want chicks.

 

[CluckingLucky]

Yep, what @LTAY1946 said!

The hens would have to sit on them for any chicks to hatch. They’ll be incredible omlets or my fav, eggs Benedict well before that happens!

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Thank you so much! I wasn't quite sure if separating him would be too stressful. I don't want him with the hens because we currently don't want any chicks at the time. Thanks for your time!!!

You're welcome. However, the pullets will not hatch chicks unless you want them to. If they go broody, then you can simply break the hen. And if you collect eggs every day, you will certainly not have any chicks－it takes twenty-one days of incubation for a large fowl egg to hatch.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

we currently don't want any chicks at the time.

Him mating the pullets will not result in chicks. It will result in fertile eggs only. The only way you will get chicks is if those fertile eggs are incubated. Selling and eating fertile eggs is a non-issue.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.


Him mating the pullets will not result in chicks. It will result in fertile eggs only. The only way you will get chicks is if those fertile eggs are incubated. Selling and eating fertile eggs is a non-issue.

I agree, eating a fertile egg is the same as eating a non-fertilized egg, with the only difference being, well, it's fertile.

 

[007Sean]

Howdy, and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

Thanks for joining our community!