Adolescent rooster versus experienced hen

[10sevol]

I have two hens that are lone survivors from a since solved fox problem...one white rock and one Easter egger. They are both about 15 months old.

My second flock 4 new hamp reds, 4 barred rocks, and 3 black Australorp have some Roos that are coming of age...10 weeks and crowing, trying to mate, etc.

The couple of times they've tried to mate the hens that are actually laying, the experienced gals, they get the beat down.

The new batch have been with the two old generals since there were about 5-6 weeks old, but the elder gals definitely established the pecking order.

We would like to hatch some eggs, and the new girls aren't laying yet, but after seeing the beat down put on the Roos by the elder hens, I'm wondering if those Roos will ever be able to mate the older laying hens.

Are we doomed to wait on the younger hens to lay, or will the Roos eventually "win over", so to speak, the older hens?

 

[centrarchid]

Allow them until 24 weeks before passing judgement.

 

[donrae]

Your roosters are just babies yet. Of course the mature hens aren't going to let them mate! They've got to grow up some, and probably prove themsleves to the older ladies. I think it's good to have a younger cockerel raised with mature hens, they learn better manners imo. I wouldn't have a specific age, but centarchid has lots of experience with this type of thing and if he says 24 weeks, then 24 weeks it is. You'll be able to have fertile eggs later this fall, or next spring. Don't necessarily want to hatch chicks in the height of summer, anyway.

 

[pound4pound]

what worked for me is i grew the roosters away from the hens. when the roosters grew big, i let them loose with the hens. the hens gave in easily because the roosters are big and brave enough. the roosters will learn eventually.