New Roo Questions-Update-Picture added

[rileysgranny]

I bought a new mottled bantam cochin rooster to replace my Dandy that died. I introduced him to the rest of the flock over the weekend and he quickly shared his affections with a couple of my older (1yr. old) standard hens. Now they are no longer virgins, poor things! He does a cute little side ways shuffle when he approaches, so we call him Dancer.

Anyway, I have a few questions because I am unfamiliar with older roosters (Dandy was only 15/16 weeks old when he died):

1. He sits in the nesting box just like a hen. Sometimes he just sits there and crows. My MIL says he has a gender identity problem! Is this an unusual behavior for a rooster?

2. After Dandy died, my little OEG roo started crowing like crazy, but since we introduced Dancer, he hasn't crowed but once or twice. I see him open his beak and assume the crowing posture, but nothing comes out. Is this normal? Will he crow again as long as the new roo is around?

3. I have Dancer and the OEG roo in the pen with 2 bantam cochin hens, 1 OEG hen and a bantam hen that looks like a Delaware. Am I asking for trouble between the 2 roos?

July 23rd - picture added

And I heard my OEG rooster crowing this morning. He was standing at one end of the pen and Dancer at the other. DUELING CROWS!

 

[rileysgranny]

Anyone? Are you out there?

 

[gritsar]

By sitting in the nestboxes he could be enticing your hens to lay there or he could just be confused.

If Dancer is the alpha, your little OEG roo may be too intimidated to crow. He'll probably try to sneak in a crow now and then, when he thinks he won't be caught by Dancer.
With only four hens in with the two boys, yep I'm afraid you might be asking for trouble. However, since Dancer is obviously the alpha and the OEG is submissive, they may do just fine. You'll probably just have to watch and see.

 

[Uppity Peon]

Maybe Dancer is the kind of guy who will babysit eggs while a broody gets something to eat.

You will just have to wait and watch. It sounds like the OEG is not very confident he can dominate the new one. That's a good thing. He will stay out of the way and not challenge Dancer and there won't be any serious fights.