When do roosters start trying to mate?

[Lisa202]

Hi All, I have a question...

I have 10 bantams (1 accidental roo and 9 hens) all only 16 weeks old. The rooster has started "attacking" the hens. I put "attacking" in quotes b/c I don't know if this is normal mating behavior or not. He grabs the hens by the neck feathers and won't let go and she'll be squawking and making a loud commotion until he finally lets go. H doesn't try to mount them, he just holds on. It's so loud when this happens that I think something is attacking them.

They won't be laying for a couple months, so I don't know why he's even trying to mate (if that's what he's really doing). I've watched him do this to most of the hens, so he's not just picking on one. Is this just his testosterone kicking in or is he trying to be dominant by making them afraid of him?...and if he is just being mean, should I try to correct his behavior?

Thanks

 

[Omran]

Quote:
well that how they start the prosess I can,t stand roosters, infact I killed two of them on friday and put the in freezer for that same reason, I have one more to eat, he bought himself some time because it got late on me on friday

 

[Lollipop]

Usually around 4 months, so your boy is right on time. Cockerals are like teenage boys, huge sex drive but no finess. He`ll get the hang of it in fairly short order. Watch your pullets for signs of blood. Bloody ones must be isolated so they aren`t cannibalized. It`s just an act of nature and he`ll grow out of it.......Pop

 

[Lisa202]

Quote:
Thanks Pop!

If I see any blood, I'll put the Pick No More on. (pine tar stuff) will that be good? Isolating is difficult as I have nowhere to put one, other than in a cage in the garage and she won't be happy there.

 

[sourland]

He's just a rooster being a rooster. If his behavior escalates, seperate him before he injures the hens and then re introduce him when the hens are sexually mature.

 

[Lisa202]

so now I have another question....

if I have to separate an injured hen or a rough rooster, how do I do that? I've been wanting to get one of those small "2 chicken" coops to have on hand just for this purpose, but if I were to have to use it, how can that be ok in the winter? How can one chicken or rooster be ok all alone in the winter? Don't they need the body heat from the others to keep warm? And even if it's not cold, don't they need other chicken company...especially if it's for longer periods of time as in if I have to keep Mister Mabel (he was suppose to be a girl) away until they mature which would take months? Yes, I can put this little coop along side the run so as to be near the others, but the cold factor is still an issue.

 

[janinepeters]

I think the cold is a relative issue. Yes, they like body heat, but then again, many chickens do fine in areas much colder than yours. If they have a hard molt in winter, that's another story -- they become much less cold tolerant.

I think the social issue is the larger one. A chicken living in constant isolation for a long time is not a happy one, especially if he is constantly confined. That's no life for any social, activel animal.

It's great to have an area already set up for when you do need to isolate a chicken temporarily, but as far as this rooster goes, just relax for now. Sounds like his behavior is age appropriate. He'll probably settle down. And the more space they have, the better. If constantly confined to a small space, you are likely to see more behavior problems.

 

[todtrac]

Quote:

... Mister Mabel... I love it.. we had the same thing happen to us, our white silkie we named Beonka (little white mouse in disneys rescuers) daughters idea.. turned out to be a rooster... had to get rid of him and the other six rooster we had.. 8 of 9 birds we raised turned out to be roos... not a pretty site... down to one roo and two hens, much better!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have an early bloomer. A Jaerhon cockerel that is 11 weeks old, he's been crowing for 3 weeks and for the last week he's been trying to mate with any pullet that walks by. There's screaming out there all the time. I was hoping to find someone who wanted him and a couple pullets (I have 6 Jaerhons all together but I want to keep 1 or 2) - but I think he'll have to go to freezer camp in the next day or two.
I think they must be a very early maturing breed. I guess that far north everything has to happen fast.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Quote:
IMO putting the coop next to the other would be more stressful.
When mine are on opposite sides of a fence they freak out till they are together.
When they can't see the others they are calmer.
Unless they are warm climate breeds or small birds, I think the cold isn't an issue as long as you keep the humidity in the coop down.