New chicken owner here. Just got my first chickens a week ago - 1 rooster, 8 hens. I was just wondering how old the rooster will have to be before he...well.....starts acting like a rooster. He was one of maybe 15 roosters in a pen full of hens when I got him and I expected him to be like a kid in a candy store when I got him separated with his own girls. He pretty much just acts about like another hen. I was told that he and the girls were "about 6 months old" when I bought them, but I can't be sure about that. He has bad taste in fashion and is a terrible dancer, so I don't think THAT'S the problem. Any thoughts?
First off, and my roosters started acting like rooster a few days after my girls started laying. Maybe they're still establishing the pecking order, and he isn't interested in breeding yet.
When I introduced my rooster into our all girl flock, he didn't start to try to do that stuff until maybe a month or so after we got him. First, they have to establish a new pecking order, then he has to try to woo the girls. It can take some time, but eventually should happen.
Welcome to BYC Glad you joined us! Well, if he's mature and the hens will allow him to do what roosters do, he could be busy already. I introduced a rooster to my trio of hens a few weeks ago and my little bantam hen took one look at him and squatted.
Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan He may just be used to being the low man on the totem pole, so it may take him a little time until he realizes he is the top dog.