My rooster is getting Serious aboout mating with one hen in particular. Does this mean I may....

[Joseph Chicken]

Does this mean I may start getting eggs from her or them. I have 7 hens & 1 rooster (hens-2RIR,1Australorp, 4 look like mix Australorp/RIR maybe, rooster-Australorp). I estimate they are all about 4 months old now. He started grabbing them randomly by the neck about 2 weeks ago. He then trying to mount them eventually by the end of the first week. Well today I've seen 3 confirmed matings with 1 in particular today. He grabbed a couple other times too but she got away. Hes tried grabbing the usual few others girls he usually goes after but shes actually his preference to follow around all day long. Does this mean I may start getting eggs from her? These are my first chickens I've ever owned or been around.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Young roosters will tend to mate what is easy, not necessarily what is right. He may continue to over mate the one hen, especially if she's a bottom bird, because it is easy.

 

[The Angry Hen]

Hello There,

She Will Not Start Laying Eggs Because The Rooster Is A Bit Rough...
But When She Does Lay Eggs, Any Day Now, You Will Have Fertile Eggs.

So, That Means You Might Have Babies With And Incubator Or Broody Hen.
She is Still A Bit Young... I Don't Know Why He Is Mating He Quite Yet...

You Should Get Eggs Any Day Now, But Not Because Of Him.
Welcome To Backyard Chicken keeping, With It's Many Mysteries...

Sincerely,
The Angry Hen

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC @Joseph Chicken!

Male chickens reach sexual maturity at a younger age than females.

A 4 month old cockerel will try to mount anything he can.
He usually doesn't know if a female is sexually mature or not.

A 'good' mature adult cockbird will not mount a pullet until she is sexually mature,
so that can be a very good sign that a pullet is nearing point of lay.

A 4 month old pullet is about 1-2 months away from laying,
and thus not ready to be mated.

Tho a pullet may submit to being mounted by a randy cockerel,
it's most likely dominance/submission behavior not reproductive behavior.



FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).

 

[Joseph Chicken]

Thanks y'all! Ok. I have the inside of my coop finishe just not the outside. I framed in a nesting box just not finished with it yet. Everything cost n time n seems like I'm always short of 1 or the other. Will they be alright in the coop if they do try n lay until I finish the nesting boxes?

 

[The Angry Hen]

Hello,

You're welcome! Hm... Good question!
They will be okay until you finish the nesting boxes.

But chances are if they start laying in the time you finish building it...

They won't be trained to lay in the boxes, you might find eggs on the floor,
outside, almost anywhere imagined!

(You can redeem this habit... But it could take months!)

So... That might be an issue. See what other people respond,
to be sure, but this is my opinion!!

Have a wonderful evening!

Sincerely,
The Angry Hen

 

[Pork Pie]

View attachment 1078469 Thanks y'all! Ok. I have the inside of my coop finishe just not the outside. I framed in a nesting box just not finished with it yet. Everything cost n time n seems like I'm always short of 1 or the other. Will they be alright in the coop if they do try n lay until I finish the nesting boxes?

Don't worry - just use some plastic basins as nest boxes (weigh with dry soil and some wood ash, if you can). It's what I use all the time.

 

[junebuggena]

They'll be fine without nest boxes. Doesn't really matter, since they aren't born knowing to use them in the first place. Without mature hens around, you'll have to show them where to put their eggs by leaving dummy eggs in the boxes once they are finished.

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

You can try putting small tubs or buckets, be sure they won't tip when the hens are climbing in and out, place some hay or straw in with a dummy egg ( I use ping pong balls cause I have em) close to the boxes your building. If they start laying before nest boxes are finished they may use the others then you remove those and place the dummy eggs in the nest boxes. This worked well for me, however I do still have those hens who just seem to like to balk at the system and lay wherever the deem fit!