Making gentlemen our if my roos

[kesrchicky16]

I got 2 roosters for 3rd string defence of my chickens. They have earned their keep that way and even make a couple little chicks.

My problem is they won't dance for their ladies and when they grab them unwillingly the girls scream and the roos fight to both rape them before letting go. The roos are not aggressive with me or my young kids, even when I sit on the ground to bone with my new chickens that I got to try and dilute the roo's randyness.

I know they know the dance because they start sometimes but when the chicken runs they bolt after her anyway. They irritated me this morning so they boys are locked up while the ladies free range for a bit.

Any advise on how to get them to dance more frequently then they attack? Yes I know chickens don't have morals but my girls are all submissive to me and I have seen a few time that they have squatted for the roos but I have never seen a full dance except when my broody hen danced for the roos.

 

[Spiderduck]

Im not sure what to do but having more than one roo is not going to go well.

How many hens do you have?

Either you need more hens or less roos.


They get aggressive towards girls because of other roos

 

[apryl29]

How many females do you have? Is it possible there's not enough girls for your boys? I think the ration is 10-12 girls to each boy. My boys do the wing dance for the girls, & though the ladies aren't always receptive, the boys don't jump on an unwilling girl. We had a buff orp that did, but he was young and inexperienced & I separated, then got rid of him soon after b/c I had too many boys & he was going after the young pullets. When one of my roos tries to mate w/ an unwilling girl and she started yelling I'd chase him away from her. Of course he'd try again later and as long as she yelled I would chase him away (these were usually young pullets that weren't yet laying), but after a while when the girls were ready, they'd submit, often squatting down as he approaches. Still, if he tries and she's not interested & walks away, normally he doesn't pursue her again until later since there's plenty of others to choose from.

 

[JedJackson]

How many hens do you have? How old are the roosters and how long have they been with the hens?

 

[sourland]

In my experience once roosters start competitively mating hens it becomes a firmly engrained behavior. Removing one from the flock may solve your problem. Adding more hens may not help as they may continue targeting the same hen.

 

[kesrchicky16]

Roos were hatched in April. I have 22 females. 3 that are about to lay pullets and 1 still with chicks mama so 18 currently laying.

I hesitate to chase then off too much because I don't want to make them aggressive.

 

[kesrchicky16]

I should add that the submissive rooster knows his place. The only time the girls get dual bread is when the submissive rooster gets a hen first.

 

[JedJackson]

I should add that the submissive rooster knows his place. The only time the girls get dual bread is when the submissive rooster gets a hen first.

I agree with sourland. It sounds like the submissive rooster is causing the problem but you'll have to evaluate that yourself. But one rooster probably needs to go or be kept separate.

 

[Spiderduck]

That would happen a lot with mines. I had three roos and two would be competing for girls a lot. And one was shy and submissive.

When one of the roos mated the other would come and bite him and take his place. Problem solved when getting rid of two roosters.

 

[The Moonshiner]

In my experience once roosters start competitively mating hens it becomes a firmly engrained behavior. Removing one from the flock may solve your problem. Adding more hens may not help as they may continue targeting the same hen.

I also agree with this.
You can try to get rid of one and see what happens but honestly I think you have unrealistic expectations of any rooster.
If you want to equate it with rape. Then your only choice is to remove all roosters. They're all rapists at some point and your hens will continue to be raped as long as any rooster is around.