mating

[monkeyqueen]

Almost positive my questions will bring a good chuckle or at least a grin and that's ok. I'm new to whole chicken raising thing, started my flock in July. Have gotten very few eggs from RIRs, a bit disappointing. Not sure of the age of the hens I purchased was told they were of laying age. Anyway, my roo has just recently discovered himself so to speak, crowing and chasing the ladies. The hens have taken to roof to escape his advances. Kinda like home base. He won't go up there. My question is, would he try to mate with hens that are too old to lay eggs? None of the girls seem to be safe, though he prefers the one with a bright red comb, which I know is sign she is ready to lay eggs. Also have 2 hens in a different pen, RIRs won't accept them. Down right mean to them. Have tried the side by side then several times before introducing, hasn't worked. I have gotten 9 eggs in the last 4 days, but not getting eggs daily. Can a new layer lay more than 1 egg a day?

 

[sourland]

If nothing else is available, a rooster might try to mate a rock. Day length is probably a factor in the low egg production. The day light period has now started increasing, and eventually so will the production of your hens. Integration of new birds to a flock is always problematic. Do a forum search on 'flock integration' for some ideas.

 

[theoldchick]

That rooster will mate anything with a tail. As he ages he will calm down a bit. Won't hurt, on occasion, to pull the rooster out of the flock a few hours a day to give the girls a break.. The normal laying rate of a hen in prime production is one egg every other day. Some times, and this is rare, a hen will lay two eggs if the first egg had trouble moving on down the 'production line' and the one behind it pushed it on out.