Is my rooster too young?

[Kgroves57]

Ok. My hens and rooster are both @8 1/2 months old. Roo is mating with one or two occasionally but not consistently. And it seems to last only a few seconds. Only one hen is laying so far. Is he just too young to know what he is doing? Should the others be laying already too? I let them run in the large 40x40 run during the day and put them in the coop each evening. They seem content and happy to just eat and poop but no eggs! I feed a mix of laying pellets, scratch, sunflower seeds, meal worms, oyster shells and table scraps as treats. Am I doing something wrong or are they still just too young to lay?

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

What breeds are they?

 

[Kgroves57]

What breeds are they?

RI Reds

 

[Isadora]

The actual mating only takes a few seconds once he gets on top of the hen.

 

[Kgroves57]

The actual mating only takes a few seconds once he gets on top of the hen.

That's just it, he get on "top" of the hen but I don't think the gets "behind" her. Does this make sense?

 

[Isadora]

That's just it, he get on "top" of the hen but I don't think the gets "behind" her. Does this make sense?

Yeah, it does. So their vents aren't contacting is what you're saying. If that's the case, he will figure it out eventually.

 

[Mrs. K]

I am thinking that they were slow to mature because of the winter. I would expect most of them to be laying soon. Check the eggs when you cook, some roosters are kind of shy, and are doing more than you think.

Post a picture of your girls, are their combs bright red? Usually 3 weeks after that, they begin to lay.

Mrs K

 

[TropicalBabies]

Mating and laying eggs are not related. Maybe cut down on snacks & scratch bad, bad habit for young girls (and old) Like by a lot never anymore than 10% and I'd go less. Winters low light and bad diet may be the culprit. You can easily solve the snack issue and days are getting longer. Being spring is around the corner you will be fine and up to your eyeballs in h*rney roo drama.

 

[Kgroves57]

I am thinking that they were slow to mature because of the winter. I would expect most of them to be laying soon. Check the eggs when you cook, some roosters are kind of shy, and are doing more than you think.

Post a picture of your girls, are their combs bright red? Usually 3 weeks after that, they begin to lay.

Mrs K

I am thinking that they were slow to mature because of the winter. I would expect most of them to be laying soon. Check the eggs when you cook, some roosters are kind of shy, and are doing more than you think.

Post a picture of your girls, are their combs bright red? Usually 3 weeks after that, they begin to lay.

Mrs K

Mating and laying eggs are not related. Maybe cut down on snacks & scratch bad, bad habit for young girls (and old) Like by a lot never anymore than 10% and I'd go less. Winters low light and bad diet may be the culprit. You can easily solve the snack issue and days are getting longer. Being spring is around the corner you will be fine and up to your eyeballs in h*rney roo drama.

 

[Kgroves57]