How do chickens mate?

[Fred's Hens]

How come my roosters do this to each other ?

It is as much an act of aggression and superiority as it is an active sexuality.

 

[centrarchid]

My adult roosters do not do each other in such a manner. It seems to be more of an artifact of confinement that also involves less than fully adult males.

 

[Susanv47]

Wow, that is awesome information. Thank you

 

[1cutechick]

Thank you. I was wondering how that worked!

 

[Buddman]

Good reads here. How old are they when they start mating? My pair are 4-5 months old now. the hen has not started laying yet. The male is now chasing her, starting to jump on her and even coming at me! lol! I didn't think I was his type!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

How come my roosters do this to each other ?

My adult roosters do not do each other in such a manner. It seems to be more of an artifact of confinement that also involves less than fully adult males.

That is what I have observed, with or without confinement and I think that poor husbandry has a part in it..
When a young roo is used by his flock mates for a girlfriend, usually only one or two successful pairings with a hen will give the under-roo enough self-respect or perhaps the word is self-confidence to hold the rest of the roosters at bay, if not actually turn the tables on them. This is one reason I chide people when they call their 6 month old cockerel a rooster and then they are baffled when a 6 months old cockerel can't uphold the job description of a full grown rooster.

 

[JocelynMc25]

THAT actually answered the question! Thank you, I had a basic understanding (ie, roo mounts hen) but no idea at all about the cloaca, or the ability to store the sperm for multiple eggs! And next time my 5 year old wants an explanation for what Sebastian is doing to one of the many hens whom she thinks he is "married to", I can tell her a summary of what you wrote.

 

[Mrknowsalot]

That would be breeding young lad

 

[DeepDishChix]

Lol

 

[wendyszoo]

I am still learning and am curious about the chicken being able to hold on to the roosters sperm for a week or more. I have a silkie bantam that just started brooding and we got rid of our rooster a week and a half ago. He was mating with all the hens. Any chance she could be laying fertile eggs at this point? I don't know if I should take them away or let her sit on them. The other day she was sitting on 2 eggs all day long and I finally picked her up and took them away. I was worried that she wasn't eating or drinking. What happens if I let her continue sitting on the eggs that she or the other hens lay now that we don't have a rooster, they can't be fertile correct? Confused!