Being Mounted but NO Eggs???

[olgreenie]

I have 12 hens and 1 rooster that are 18 weeks old. My roo has been really trying to mount the hens and mate. Last night I noticed that there are a few hens that are really being submissive to him. While the others are trying to escape! Does this mean that I should start finding eggs soon or is the rooster just being immature and acting like a teenage boy? The rooster is a Cochin (I believe) and is not real aggressive. Once the hens start squalling and running away he gives up. The only ones that he holds on to are the hens that allow him to. I am just really ready for these girls to start laying some eggs! It seems like it has been a long time awaiting. I am just really hoping that this means that they will be laying soon and not the fact that the roo is just practicing. Any ideas?

 

[liljunie]

My silkies are about the same age, and they haven't laid for me yet. My roo is chasing but I haven't seen any mating yet. I can't wait for eggs!!!

 

[chooks4life]

Mating doesn't make eggs happen. Don't know if you knew that, sorry if you did, hard to tell from your post. If he's mating all it means is that he's thinking adult thoughts, it's got nothing much to do with the hens he tries to mate with, though I've had six week old chicks mating too. The fact that some hens are keen to mate means they are probably close to laying though. Adult hormones getting around.

 

[10xmama]

Egg production doesn't depend on mating. Depending on your breed, the hens will lay eggs between 5-8months regardless of mating. The mating will mean that once laying the eggs could be fertile... and fertile eggs will give you baby chicks if a broody hen sits on them or you incubate them.

 

[olgreenie]

I completely understand that egg production doesnt rely on the rooster. I was just hoping that if the rooster was trying to get a little frisky with the hens that it meant egg laying was going to begin soon. Also I heard the rooster crow for the first this morning! That was too cool!

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: Cool, sorry, it was hard to tell from the thread title. Roosters can be stupid and try to mount babies, and a surprising amount of people think mating is what makes eggs happen, lol...

Quote: It is, the first time. By the millionth, it's quite jaded. Specially if they like to go off all hours. I kid you not, nor do I exaggerate, but the first rooster I culled would start at 10 or 11 at night, and crow nonstop, only pausing to draw breath for the next one, until daybreak. Argh!