FYI as soon as I got rid of my roo, my hens are laying every day

[Wynette]

Quote:
I dare say, you can NEVER have enough hens!

 

[rosegal]

I had him for about a month first. He was really good, went into his cage and didn't crow until I let him out. Then I got to young hens about 8 months. They got on really well, but he started crowing, and ended up in the garage all night covered, still crowed all night. Let him sleep with them...didn't work. Then got two that were already laying and the laid one egg when they got here, then quit. Thought they must be molting, but that wasn't really the problem. He was after them constantly, screaching all day long, it was unbelievable....then got a bunch of young hens about 4 months. Now, he was given to me by a friend...he was an aracana (sp) the typical look of a rooster. He was so sweet, but the noise all day from him pulling the girls to pieces, was just too much. Also, I don't live on a farm....really, I do have 3/4 acre, but in a neighborhood. So, all that noise was just not going to make it. The very next day the girls were in the nest laying. I do have a dominant hen that has stepped up and taken over, but really it is so peaceful. And, I don't have to worry about my neighbors.

 

[mrandmrschicken]

A few weeks ago, I brought my little cockerel in the basement of our house for a few days cause he had a bit of a sneeze and the girls really started laying. More than usual. They all continued to lay but, when he was out of the picture they did better. Must be less stress on them...

 

[morelcabin]

Well I thought my hens weren't laying either with the roo in there...till I walked in at the right time one day and saw him eating an egg. Got hom out of there and got 5 eggs out of my 6 hens the next day...hmmmm

Now he's back in but hasn't started on the eggs again as of yet...

 

[speckledhen]

One issue is that even fertility will go down if you have more than one rooster, though I know you only had one. They compete, drive the girls nuts and spend more time chasing each other than actually mating. I currently have two roosters for 40-something hens and even then, I have one or two needing saddles, something you wouldnt think would happen with over 20 hens per rooster. Each situation is different and some roosters are more intense with the mating activity than others.

 

[hcammack]

I hope the guy I have doesn't do this because if he does he is out for good! He is young and is growing up with these hens so hopefully he will have a healthy respect for them as he has gotten the stuffing knocked out of him by them quite a few times