Mating

[NoCluckingAround]

I acquired a hen two months ago that hasn’t laid yet, but it seems she allows the rooster to mate with her. I really want her to start laying soon. Do hens willingly mate off-lay?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yes. It can be she's submitting, and he's mating. A mature rooster shouldn't mate a hen out of production. Fertility is generally expressed by comb color, and plumpness of the comb.

Immature, and roosters without other fertile hens may mate everything and anything.