Horny Roosters

tsperry88

Songster
Mar 30, 2020
410
400
138
Fredericksburg, VA
I integrated my 8 week old roosters into the older hen flock due to them trying to mate the 6 week olds. I don't have a 2nd run, so the young ones are in a 4x8 fenced off section of the coop and only get out when I can kick everyone else outside and let them play in the coop.

I planned to integrate all birds when the youngest was 8 weeks, but the roosters don't waste 30 seconds before they have grabbed a pullet by their neck feathers and tried to squash them.

What is the earliest I can allow pullets to be with roosters that are 2 weeks older than them and trying to mate?
 
Just leave the cockerels with the adult hens where they will learn the ropes and get taught some manners.

Edited to add: How many cockerels do you have? And why would you want more than one?
 
Isn't that much later than the typical rooster would start his shananagins. Are roosters typically separated at some point if the flock was started at the same age?

If I need to wait that long, I'll need to start a little bachelor pad separate from the flock.
Yes. But if the pullets don’t squat, the mating is violent and endangers the pullets.
 
Just leave the cockerels with the adult hens where they will learn the ropes and get taught some manners.

Edited to add: How many cockerels do you have? And why would you want more than one?


My only one was killed. I bought 2 and ended up with 3, but the 3rd is 6 weeks and a Welsummer like my last, that matured much more slowly. I have 17 hens and plan to only keep 2 roosters.
 
cockerels mature much faster than pullets and yes, they have to be separated as the pullets will get harrassed and chased at all times which leads to malnourishment and even severe injuries.
 
If I leave them with the adults, I have to figure out some way to give the pullets more space. It will be something like 13 weeks before the youngest are laying age.
 
What breed are the other two cockerels?

If I leave them with the adults, I have to figure out some way to give the pullets more space. It will be something like 13 weeks before the youngest are laying age.

There is another option for later: You could keep the cockerels separate in a bachelor pad and add the pullets with the adult hens. But this only works if your adult hens are not aggressive against the pullets.
 
What breed are the other two cockerels?



There is another option for later: You could keep the cockerels separate in a bachelor pad and add the pullets with the adult hens. But this only works if your adult hens are not aggressive against the pullets.

The 2 are brown leghorns.

They have not been bad with the cockerels. They still chase them, but it seems like more of a game than aggression. Whenever they have the cockerels cornered, they seem confused on what to do next. There really isn't a lot of pecking.
 
Last edited:

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom