New hens wont let my roo mount them

[OldMcDnld]

I recently acuired two new hens for my lone australorp roo and they just run when he tries to mount them. He is already very protective of them and herds them back in if they wonder too far. They just want nothing to do with mating. Could they be too young? I dont know their age.

 

[wamtazlady]

Their faces and combs are not red. This leads me to believe they might be young pullets not laying yet. When the girls are mature their faces and combs will become bright red like the rooster. Then they will squat for the rooster and let him mate. They will also start to lay egggs.

 

[OldMcDnld]

Shouldnt he know the diffence too?

 

[OldMcDnld]

Should i also not expect eggs until it warms up outside? Considering its December

 

[wamtazlady]

Egg laying has more to do with length of daylight than temperature. Fourteen hours of daylight is good for laying eggs. If you are impatient you could put a light on a timer in the coop. Start off by having light come on a half hour before dawn and gradually have the light come on sooner. That would stimulate your girls to get into egg laying mode. You could also let nature take its course. My pullets that hatched in June still have pink faces and combs. At some time between February and June I expect they will start to lay. As to the rooster, he is randy and will keep tring as there are no mature girls for him.

 

[BBQJOE]

Get your hens a pin up rooster calendar.

 

[OldMcDnld]

I will wait until they're ready. Whats the point of having natural eggs unnaturally lol

 

[OldMcDnld]

I wonder what the chicks from a lorp roo and game hens will look like. Anyone ever see such a thing?

 

[Free Feather]

Those are gorgeous girls, by the way.

 

[OldMcDnld]

Thank you