How normal is this really?

[lilwanderer]

I've been told it's a pecking order thing that may occasionally happen among young chicks, but is it really all that normal for a 4 week old chick to mount it's mother? Because that's what I'm seeing.
From what I've gathered, it's more of a dominance or a show-off thing they'll do, and they do it to their mother because she's really the only hen they know. I was also told that the pullets will sometimes act in that way, it's just more likely among cockerels?

 

[lilwanderer]

Yes that's what other people have told me. It's just a bit unusual so I'm a bit curious

here's the little guy though

 

[NatJ]

He was in fact doing so, although, I'm pretty sure he was only doing so to show off to his fellow siblings, nothing more- He wasn't in the act for long and I haven't seen him do so since. Although i do see him being one of the higher ranking chicks with how feisty the little guy is, so it doesn't really surprise me coming from him.

I probably would have considered it "practicing" instead of "showing off," but since I'm not a chicken I could easily be wrong with my interpretation

 

[NatJ]

could be either, although I don't think chickens would naturally practice things, but who knows.

When I see chicks doing something badly, and later doing it better, my human brain says they were "practicing." That includes walking (stumbling around after they first hatch) and flying (flap wings, run around) and preening (little chicks try to preen the feathers they haven't got, and fall over while they do it) and mating (try and not succeed, later try and do succeed.)

But that's me as a human putting a word on it

 

[Poodlemum]

The earliest I personally saw a cockerel mating was 2 1/2 months old, and I incubated some eggs that were laid when he was 3 months-- they hatched. I have read of cockerels being fertile younger than that, down to 7 weeks or so.

This is fascinating! Perhaps I won’t have to keep my little Wellie around as long as I’d planned Also upset that we lost our WTB cockerel, it would have been nice to get olive eggers laying this year

 

[NatJ]

This is fascinating! Perhaps I won’t have to keep my little Wellie around as long as I’d planned

Cockerels start mating at widely varied ages. I've read of some (usually large breeds) that wait 6-8 months or occasionally more. Some of the standard-sized light breeds are known for early maturity, and my own early one was a bantam (Old English Game).

My young cockerel was mating with only one hen at that time (I set eggs from about 6 hens, and only eggs from one developed.) I think the other hens were too scary when he was that young He probably would have started mating with the other hens as he got older, but I got tired of the crowing and decided I had enough chicks, so I butchered him.

 

[-Isla June-]

Aww, he's a cute one for sure! Yeah, I don't see any need to worry about him! It is strange, but I have heard of it happening commonly. @Kiki and @nuthatched can probably help you more!!

 

[NatJ]

I've been told it's a pecking order thing that may occasionally happen among young chicks, but is it really all that normal for a 4 week old chick to mount it's mother? Because that's what I'm seeing.
From what I've gathered, it's more of a dominance or a show-off thing they'll do, and they do it to their mother because she's really the only hen they know. I was also told that the pullets will sometimes act in that way, it's just more likely among cockerels?

Are you talking about just sitting on the mother's back, or attempts at mating?

I've seen chicks sit on their mother's back from the time they're a few days old. I think that is because chicks sit on everything as they learn to use their wings.

For actual mating attempts, they can start pretty young. They are likely to mate with their mother first because she is mature (unlike their sisters) but will probably not chase them away (unlike the other adult hens.)

The earliest I personally saw a cockerel mating was 2 1/2 months old, and I incubated some eggs that were laid when he was 3 months-- they hatched. I have read of cockerels being fertile younger than that, down to 7 weeks or so.

I haven't heard of mating attempts as young as 4 weeks, but I wouldn't be too surprised if a few cockerels are mature enough to try when they are that young.

 

[lilwanderer]

Are you talking about just sitting on the mother's back, or attempts at mating?

I've seen chicks sit on their mother's back from the time they're a few days old. I think that is because chicks sit on everything as they learn to use their wings.

For actual mating attempts, they can start pretty young. They are likely to mate with their mother first because she is mature (unlike their sisters) but will probably not chase them away (unlike the other adult hens.)

The earliest I personally saw a cockerel mating was 2 1/2 months old, and I incubated some eggs that were laid when he was 3 months-- they hatched. I have read of cockerels being fertile younger than that, down to 7 weeks or so.

I haven't heard of mating attempts as young as 4 weeks, but I wouldn't be too surprised if a few cockerels are mature enough to try when they are that young.

He was in fact doing so, although, I'm pretty sure he was only doing so to show off to his fellow siblings, nothing more- He wasn't in the act for long and I haven't seen him do so since. Although i do see him being one of the higher ranking chicks with how feisty the little guy is, so it doesn't really surprise me coming from him.

 

[lilwanderer]

When I see chicks doing something badly, and later doing it better, my human brain says they were "practicing." That includes walking (stumbling around after they first hatch) and flying (flap wings, run around) and preening (little chicks try to preen the feathers they haven't got, and fall over while they do it) and mating (try and not succeed, later try and do succeed.)

But that's me as a human putting a word on it

Good point, although some of that naturally comes to them- Just like how incubated chicks will automatically know how to scratch, perch, anything of the sort without having a mother around.