Horrifying Sight

[ClareScifi]

This afternoon I saw my rooster, a 26 1/2 week old large-sized (I don't know his breed-- possibly half leghorn/half Buff Orpington or EE) mate with my tiny Sebright bantam! I was horrified. I didn't think he was mating with her, because of the size difference. I am so worried he could hurt her. He tried mating with her twice within a 10 minute period, and she squealed. I think he has just started mating with her-- I've never seen this before.

However, a few days ago she slept all night under the nesting box, which I thought was weird. She came out the next morning. I wonder whether he might have mated with her for the first time that day, and it shocked her.

He has a 2 year old Barred Rock to mate with, as well as two half white leghorn pullets who are his own age.

I was told that 3 hens are about right for one rooster, but I've also read that 8 - 10 hens is the best ratio for one rooster.

But I also read that a rooster will mate with all the hens he has access to, so I'm not sure that getting more hens would solve my problem? What do you think? He might mate less with the Bantam if he had more hens, though?

I've read that a large rooster can dislocate a tiny bantam's neck or cause other injuries, rare though it might be.

What do you think I should do? Should I try to keep the little Bantam away from him?

 

[chicklover16]

Yes the rooster can injure the bantam if he keeps on mating her and yes getting more hens will reduce his mating with her. have you considered buying her a bantam mate and seperating them from the rest of the flock? just a suggestion.

 

[ClareScifi]

Thanks for the suggestion. She wouldn't need a Bantam mate, would she? I mean, aren't hens perfectly happy without a rooster around?

Could I just separate her, without getting her a Bantam mate, and allow the hens to be in with her for company, from time to time?

 

[chicklover16]

Thanks for the suggestion. She wouldn't need a Bantam mate, would she? I mean, aren't hens perfectly happy without a rooster around?

Could I just separate her, without getting her a Bantam mate, and allow the hens to be in with her for company, from time to time?

if she is going to be seperate you should get her a friend, not neccecarily a rooster but she shouldn't be in there all alone or she will be very stressed.

 

[ClareScifi]

I can keep other hens in there with her, rotating them, so the rooster has access to them. Also, my fence is a plastic mesh, so the chickens always see each other, regardless of which pen they are in, and they often cuddle up next to each other with the fence in between them.

If I let her free-range, she can fly in and out of the pen they are in, though then the rooster could get to her, and I'm not entirely certain that she objects to his affections... I think I am the only one who is really upset by it all. :>)

 

[chickensbythesea]

I wouldn't rotate girls through. The pecking order is a fickle thing, and changing it up all the time is never easy on the hens.
Get her a dedicated flock or buddy, or get rid of the rooster if you're concerned about her safety.

I can keep other hens in there with her, rotating them, so the rooster has access to them. Also, my fence is a plastic mesh, so the chickens always see each other, regardless of which pen they are in, and they often cuddle up next to each other with the fence in between them.

If I let her free-range, she can fly in and out of the pen they are in, though then the rooster could get to her, and I'm not entirely certain that she objects to his affections... I think I am the only one who is really upset by it all. :>)

 

[ClareScifi]

I meant that I'd rotate the hens back and forth into the rooster's run and with the Bantie several times a day. He'd have access to all the full-size hens every day. Would this be a problem? He'd not have access to the Bantie only, but the other girls would be with him on-and-off, all day long. Would this be a problem? Could he accommodate this sort of a schedule? One hen with him at all times, just a different hen from hour to hour?