Our NH cockerel and BA hen are joined at the hip, very close to literally.
Everywhere one goes, the other is right behind (if not right beside!). If he finds a tasty morsel and calls the girls, she's the first to come running. If they all happen to ignore him, he will literally pick up the morsel and carry it to the BA (absolutely hilarious to watch).
When it comes to mating, she's his be-all end-all. He dances for her several times a day, but I haven't seen him bust a move at all for anyone else. I haven't seen him mate with anyone else in about a week, either. I have seen the BA break from foraging to run up (clucking excitedly) and squat in front of him...like she's asking for it (and he gives it!)!
If the BA goes in the nest box to lay, he'll periodically run back to the coop to look in on her. When she's done and comes running out of the coop for the rest of the flock, he will come running (full speed) across the yard to meet her halfway and do the deed. He doesn't do any of that for any of the others.
Our BA has a bald patch on the back of her head from his attentions, but is otherwise perfectly plumed. No one else even shows evidence of a ruffled feather. I've been checking eggs and everyones' appear to be fertile, so he must be catching the others at least once in awhile. We're not planning to hatch any eggs any time soon, so it's not important important for him to spread his attentions. It just seems odd that he doesn't.
The whole situation is just funny and kind of fascinating. I had heard that roos typically pick a few favorites, but ours seems to have picked only one. Everyone else just seems to be incidental for him. Has anyone else had a rooster with such narrow tastes, let alone a hen that returned them?
Everywhere one goes, the other is right behind (if not right beside!). If he finds a tasty morsel and calls the girls, she's the first to come running. If they all happen to ignore him, he will literally pick up the morsel and carry it to the BA (absolutely hilarious to watch).
When it comes to mating, she's his be-all end-all. He dances for her several times a day, but I haven't seen him bust a move at all for anyone else. I haven't seen him mate with anyone else in about a week, either. I have seen the BA break from foraging to run up (clucking excitedly) and squat in front of him...like she's asking for it (and he gives it!)!
If the BA goes in the nest box to lay, he'll periodically run back to the coop to look in on her. When she's done and comes running out of the coop for the rest of the flock, he will come running (full speed) across the yard to meet her halfway and do the deed. He doesn't do any of that for any of the others.
Our BA has a bald patch on the back of her head from his attentions, but is otherwise perfectly plumed. No one else even shows evidence of a ruffled feather. I've been checking eggs and everyones' appear to be fertile, so he must be catching the others at least once in awhile. We're not planning to hatch any eggs any time soon, so it's not important important for him to spread his attentions. It just seems odd that he doesn't.
The whole situation is just funny and kind of fascinating. I had heard that roos typically pick a few favorites, but ours seems to have picked only one. Everyone else just seems to be incidental for him. Has anyone else had a rooster with such narrow tastes, let alone a hen that returned them?
