My rooster is not mating

[Chicken_lady2202]

My rooster is 2 years old and have never seen him mate with my hens, he even does the rooster dance . We don't have any other rooster and I keep a good eye on him and never saw him mate. I got him as a coloured chick, so could it be he didn't have it in him? Is there a way to push his instincts a little ????

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Ahhh... well we're getting somewhere here... I'm not a real expert on behaviour but I'm sure there are others on BYC that could work with this info...
Hens don't squat for rooster
Hens will squat for you
Rooster attempts to mate with your shoe
Rooster dances around hens
Rooster 'tid bits' with treats for hens
Rooster seems too nice to jump on any unwilling squatter

So... Hens won't submit to your rooster... (because they don't squat) and You seem to be the head of the flock? (hens squat for you)
You said you tried to encourage the hens by giving the rooster (only rooster) treats and he then offered those treats to the hens? Could you do this so like you aren't the one giving the treats to the rooster? So he is the one that finds the treats? - usually works to attract the hen and she submits and squats.... Your hens must be picky!

I wonder if theres some sort of way to change the hens behavior towards your roo?
Or if your not too fond of your roo then just swap him out for another roo if your wanting chicks? Maybe your hens will squat for a different rooster?

@OneHappyRooster (or tag someone who may know about behavior?) Do you have any suggestions as how to get this rooster to mate with the hens instead of shoes? ... Hens won't squat for rooster so rooster doesn't mate with them.

 

[ackie]

I didnt read every post but have you considered putting your hen in a shoe
while shes squatting for you? maybe he'll hump the shoe and accidentally the hen and then realize that's way more fun.

 

[Newbie_Chicken_Lady]

I know this might sound weird, but as a last attempt when your rooster is doing the rooster dance, pick him up and put him on a hen. I did this to my rooster once or twice and he's been breeding ever since.

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

Yeah he gets aggressive only when the hens snatch the food from his mouth.

I'd get aggressive if someone stole food out of my mouth too LOL - even if it was my nearest and dearest!.

But back to your flock - Sounds to me like your hens have accepted your roo as a flockmate but he is lower in the pecking order than they are and therefore not accepted for mating purposes. He also sounds too polite to simply "assert" his position as the rooster. If it were possible.. I'd say introduce a new younger hen in an attempt to give him one girl who is going to be "complicit" and see what happens.

My flock is similar - the younger and "some" of the older hens accept the rooster but the older "matron" of the flock and a couple of the higher pecking order hens simply ignore him.

 

[Chicken_lady2202]

Do the hens squat for him so he can get on? Or walk away ignoring his advances? Maybe he's too polite and if rejected (hen not squat for him) he doesn't jump on?

no they don't. The funny thing is that when I pet the hens they squat for me, and rooster humps on my shoe. They will never do that to each other.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Also worth trying - just stick some eggs in the incubator and see if they develop. Sometimes blastoderm IDing can be very inaccurate.

 

[Chicken_lady2202]

Ahhh... well we're getting somewhere here... I'm not a real expert on behaviour but I'm sure there are others on BYC that could work with this info...
Hens don't squat for rooster
Hens will squat for you
Rooster attempts to mate with your shoe
Rooster dances around hens
Rooster 'tid bits' with treats for hens
Rooster seems too nice to jump on any unwilling squatter

So... Hens won't submit to your rooster... (because they don't squat) and You seem to be the head of the flock? (hens squat for you)
You said you tried to encourage the hens by giving the rooster (only rooster) treats and he then offered those treats to the hens? Could you do this so like you aren't the one giving the treats to the rooster? So he is the one that finds the treats? - usually works to attract the hen and she submits and squats.... Your hens must be picky!

I wonder if theres some sort of way to change the hens behavior towards your roo?
Or if your not too fond of your roo then just swap him out for another roo if your wanting chicks? Maybe your hens will squat for a different rooster?

will definitely try and inform .the thing is I got my boy as a baby chick and I am too attached to him. I just wanted him to live a normal life

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Wish I could help, never had a problem with rooster not wanting to mate. All the roos I've ever had have had super strong hormones LOL

We've come to more info here, he does mate, HER SHOE!

 

[Chicken_lady2202]

Oh my word! Hope there's a way to redirect that attention to the ladies....

i hope for the same. I think he has good harmonies cause he humps on my shoe every few minutes . If only he did that to the chickens. He's one wierd roo