At what age do cockerels start tid-bitting

[mossyoakpro]

It's pretty cool to watch them do that....my current cockerel is a jerk to me but really takes care of his harem so he'll get to stay here. He is great at finding things and letting the girls get it out of his beak. I've witnessed frogs, lizards, cicadas, and a bunch of things I could not identify.

 

[TaylorGlade]

It's pretty cool to watch them do that....my current cockerel is a jerk to me but really takes care of his harem so he'll get to stay here. He is great at finding things and letting the girls get it out of his beak. I've witnessed frogs, lizards, cicadas, and a bunch of things I could not identify.

I'm waiting to watch for sure. So far, he usually eats and runs

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My phoenix males usually don't start until they're in their adult coloring and have started to look for mates. But I have multiple males, so that could be different from a flock with just one male. I see the behavior much more when the rooster in question is a good father and calls babies over. Perhaps he figures that his ladies are strong, independent women

 

[TaylorGlade]

My phoenix males usually don't start until they're in their adult coloring and have started to look for mates. But I have multiple males, so that could be different from a flock with just one male. I see the behavior much more when the rooster in question is a good father and calls babies over. Perhaps he figures that his ladies are strong, independent women

We have another that I wasn't sure about till this morning - also in that photo. Bonsai. I let that one and the other big Australorp out for some free time. We heard a hawk and bonsais hackles went up. Bonsai has never crowed nor laid an egg and is 24 weeks. I've also never seen bonsai mount either of our 24 and 26 week old pullets. As the days go by, I'm more certain it's a he. But it's very gentle. But Bubo crows (13 week old) and bonsai has run from bubo since bubo was a 4-6 weeks old.

 

[SamLockwood]

I've got 5 roosters and the ones that do it started around 16 weeks. Not all of them will tidbit (or at least not that I've seen) the big cuckoo maran does it all the time, I don't think I've seen the olive egger do it once and the legbar rarely. They're both low on the pecking order so maybe that has something to do with it too.