~6 month old roo mating 17 week old pullets, is this ok?

[CaswellCoop]

My 17 week old pullets aren't laying yet but most of their combs are bright red and they're only slightly smaller in size than the rooster. They have been introduced to him slowly but when we let them out together he seems very rough with them and they don't like it. Should we keep them separate until we start getting eggs? Or is it ok to let them do what they do and sort themselves out?

 

[Kiki]

Are you under the impression that hens can't have a rooster around them until they are laying eggs? If so that is not true. The younger the birds the better the introducing will go.


How big is your coop? Yard?

 

[CaswellCoop]

Are you under the impression that hens can't have a rooster around them until they are laying eggs? If so that is not true. The younger the birds the better the introducing will go.


How big is your coop? Yard?

Both are plenty big enough. They free range from sun up to sun down can come and go from the coop as they please. They have places to get away from him.

 

[NatJ]

Keeping them separate would be fine.
If he is not causing injuries, then leaving them to sort it out would also be fine.

 

[CaswellCoop]

Are you under the impression that hens can't have a rooster around them until they are laying eggs? If so that is not true. The younger the birds the better the introducing will go.


How big is your coop? Yard?

No, not that they cant have a rooster around before they lay.. but he is obviously mature and they are not. I'm wondering if I should keep them separate until they are more ready to mate because that's all he wants to do and they arent having it.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

he seems very rough with them and they don't like it

He is still a cockerel and is immature possibly without manners.

I do prefer to allow my boys some maturity (behind a fence) to learn to serenade, treat call, wing shuffle dance.. and EARN the ladies approval.

Some of the roughness at this age is just getting the hang of it and learning to balance.

 

[CaswellCoop]

He is still a cockerel and is immature possibly without manners.

I do prefer to allow my boys some maturity (behind a fence) to learn to serenade, treat call, wing shuffle dance.. and EARN the ladies approval.

Some of the roughness at this age is just getting the hang of it and learning to balance.

Ok, well that makes me feel a little better. I have seen him dance for them from inside the fence so that's a good sign. He has even danced for them a few times before mounting but didnt exactly wait for their approval first.

 

[Grammy60]

Hello and welcome to BYC So happy you have joined us.

 

[CaswellCoop]

Also, forgive my ignorance but can someone tell me how to change where it says "in the brooder" under my name? Idk how all the things work here

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

Also, forgive my ignorance but can someone tell me how to change where it says "in the brooder" under my name? Idk how all the things work here

That is automatically assigned based on the number of trophy points you have. You can also buy or win a Premium Feather Membership (PFM) and change it to whatever you want.