My Cockerel Doesn't know how to mate (please advise)

[cutebunny]

And you say she is squatting, usually I find that the cockerels are ready before the pullets are. Did you get them at the same time, same age?
Its not only the cockerel that has to learn "how" either. The pullet has to learn to balance him on her back a bit too.

I think the pullet knows quite well. But the cockerel kept on pulling her feathers without going over her. If she does lay eggs in a few weeks, I guess we won't get any chicks anytime soon

 

[Redhead Rae]

I think the pullet knows quite well. But the cockerel kept on pulling her feathers without going over her. If she does lay eggs in a few weeks, I guess we won't get any chicks anytime soon

I wouldn't hatch any eggs from them until she has been laying for a month or two. It can often take that long for the girl to start laying proper sized eggs. Incubating pullet eggs (smaller than normal eggs) can lead to poorly developed chicks.

 

[cutebunny]

I wouldn't hatch any eggs from them until she has been laying for a month or two. It can often take that long for the girl to start laying proper sized eggs. Incubating pullet eggs (smaller than normal eggs) can lead to poorly developed chicks.

Really? I guess if she does lay some eggs, it wouldn't be fertilised anyway ( based on how they behave). But I think I'll let her practice brooding with those eggs so that she knows how to properly take care of the eggs in the future.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Really? I guess if she does lay some eggs, it wouldn't be fertilised anyway ( based on how they behave). But I think I'll let her practice brooding with those eggs so that she knows how to properly take care of the eggs in the future.

Just because she is laying doesn't mean she will go broody. I would take the eggs until she shows ACTIVE signs of being broody (staying on the nest all night/all day except for brief forays for food, MASSIVE stinky poops, and she stops laying). She may not go broody until Spring. If you want to hatch, my recommendation is to keep the number of eggs you want to hatch in an egg carton (6-8 eggs usually, probably closer to 3-4 for you because you only have one hen laying and the eggs will be old by the time you set them) and rotate the older ones out to food as new ones are laid. When she settles down to brooding, I would let her sit for a few days to see if she is determined and then give her the eggs to hatch.

If you are REALLY determined to hatch eggs, I would start stagger hatching with incubators. Once the eggs are big enough, check the eggs for fertility (crack it open and see if you can see a white bullseye on the yolk, that is a blastoderm which means the other eggs should be fertile) and once a week, place your eggs in the incubator and have a separate incubator for lock down. You can also use this method to have broody raised chicks as well, just let the broody sit on fake eggs until the chicks hatch and then one night (after the chicks are dry and you've seen them eat and drink) remove the fake eggs and pop the babies under the broody. She will usually accept them.

Look at the "Staggered Hatch Adventure" link in my signature to see how I'm stagger hatching.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Do you have pics of the birds from when you got them? We may be able to estimate how old they are now based on those pictures.

 

[ronott1]

The eggs will be fertile soon after he is mating well. It is better to wait until the eggs are bigger though. Very small pullet eggs do not have enough room for a chick usually and that causes hatching issues.

Wait a month or so before incubating the eggs.

Your hens may never go broody. It is not a normal all hens thing with chickens anymore. It has been bred out of most breeds

 

[Redhead Rae]

The eggs will be fertile soon after he is mating well. It is better to wait until the eggs are bigger though. Very small pullet eggs do not have enough room for a chick usually and that causes hatching issues.

Wait a month or so before incubating the eggs.

Your hens may never go broody. It is not a normal all hens thing with chickens anymore. It has been bred out of most breeds

Seremas are one of the more broody breeds though. Since they are bantams, they were never bred for production like a lot of the large fowl hatchery birds.

Granted, she may be a non-broody, but you never know.

@WVduckchick, what percentage of your Serema hens go broody do you think?

 

[WVduckchick]

I wouldn't hatch any eggs from them until she has been laying for a month or two. It can often take that long for the girl to start laying proper sized eggs. Incubating pullet eggs (smaller than normal eggs) can lead to poorly developed chicks.

True. But I had just set a group of shipped serama eggs when my first pullet laid her first egg and I tossed it in with the ones I had just set. It hatched and I still have her.

Seremas are one of the more broody breeds though. Since they are bantams, they were never bred for production like a lot of the large fowl hatchery birds.

Granted, she may be a non-broody, but you never know.

@WVduckchick, what percentage of your Serema hens go broody do you think?

Percentage? 100%

I only have 2 young pullets around 6 months old that have laid eggs that has NOT been broody...YET. All of my hens and pullets over 9 months old (probably 15 of them?) raised chicks at least once this year.

@cutebunny I just noticed your location. Malaysia? Home of the original seramas? Nice! I was going to offer to send you some fertile eggs, but I'm sure you can get some awesome ones there!

 

[cutebunny]

Redhead Rae: this is how small they were when I first got them .

True. But I had just set a group of shipped serama eggs when my first pullet laid her first egg and I tossed it in with the ones I had just set. It hatched and I still have her.



Percentage? 100%

I only have 2 young pullets around 6 months old that have laid eggs that has NOT been broody...YET. All of my hens and pullets over 9 months old (probably 15 of them?) raised chicks at least once this year.

@cutebunny I just noticed your location. Malaysia? Home of the original seramas? Nice! I was going to offer to send you some fertile eggs, but I'm sure you can get some awesome ones there!
View attachment 1511723 View attachment 1511724 View attachment 1511725 View attachment 1511726 View attachment 1511727 View attachment 1511728

That is very kind of you thank you so much. Your seramas are adorable and beautiful! Chickens have the cutest personalities. My pullet never allows us to hold the cockerel. She's always jealous

Can't wait to hold those yellow fluffy balls too tho

Btw, all of these chickens must be so grateful to have such great owners like you guys!

 

[WVduckchick]

Redhead Rae: this is how small they were when I first got them .View attachment 1511733


That is very kind of you thank you so much. Your seramas are adorable and beautiful! Chickens have the cutest personalities. My pullet never allows us to hold the cockerel. She's always jealousView attachment 1511734

Can't wait to hold those yellow fluffy balls too tho

Btw, all of these chickens must be so grateful to have such great owners like you guys!

too cute for words.