No eggs yet but lots of mounting (normal?)

[cheepchicks]

I received my chicks from MM on March 10th this year. I have not seen eggs yet, but yesterday my big blue roo was attempting to mount the little blue hen and she let him. I had thought I would see eggs first. Is this normal?


Kim

 

[MayberrySaint]

Mine have been mating for at least 6 weeks and I just got my first egg this week. These were from MM chicks received on March 19...It sure shows the boys reach maturity quite a bit earlier than the girls...lol.

 

[justusnak]

Kim, yup, this is normal. I have the same thing going on here. Lots of mateing....no eggs. Should be any time now!

 

[cheepchicks]

I keep looking and looking I even suggested to D that a snake was probably eating them. He of course pointed out there was no way for a snake to get in. I says well they are sneaky little nasty creatures. How do you know. I only got an exasperated sigh in response. LOL

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

This is too funny. Mine have been mounting too... I figured it was normal and left them alone (since I read alot of what you all post not to mention talking to my mother, the retired chicken farmer)... some of my hens are okay with it... others RUNNNNNNN for their lives

Our son came home from his mothers the other day... saw what was going on... thought my roos were attacking my hens so he went over and pushed the roo off (poor roo roo didnt get to finish the deed)

then he came in and told dad what was happening... we could not help but laugh, and had to explain to him what was going on!!!!!

our son is 12 and told me back when I got the chickens that he knew more than me and didnt need me telling him how to raise or take care of chickens since his uncle had chickens before I got here and he helped him (not to well since they didn't properly take care of them and lost them all before the first egg

). this is not the first mistake he has made.

I think he is now starting to listen and pay attention to what I am telling him. He says they are awfully noisy, we told him that it was going to get worse and that he needed to not worry... and if he keeps stopping the roos, we won't have no babies

Tes

 

[mdbucks]

I guess when you get done teaching him about the BIRDS it will be time to teach him about the BEES.

 

[silkiechicken]

 

[robmcsched]

Ok, glad to find these posts--we have two pullets and one rooster--purchased in March as chicks--well, the chicks have been gettin' laid but they ain't yet a layin'. I'm so anxious for eggs, this is my first time! I was wondering why they hadn't started layin' yet--so I'm guessing they just aren't quite ready...they do seem to change and grow a little more each day--so they may not be quite ready to lay. I have been following them around the yard to make sure they aren't laying eggs and hiding them...but there's lots of places for them to hide that I can't get to, so I've provided them with very nice nesting boxes in their coop and keep them closed in until around noon...I'm hoping they'll get the idea that the nesting boxes are a nice place to lay and the yard is not!

That said, our rooster is starting to get a little more aggressive each day. I have a small five lb. poodle and he's been chasing him off...sometimes he'll startle and act like he's ready for a fight. I don't want a mean rooster--I have lots of kids coming thru because I teach piano...on a fun note, our roo does sometimes hop on the patio table and look into the window where I'm teaching and crow--it's the cutest thing and my students all love it...but, I'm wondering if I should be worried about him getting aggressive. Any experience out there with this? I had a student a few years ago (long gone) who was attacked by a rooster at someone else's home and it traumatized the poor kid. I don't want anything like that going on, here...I'm guessing that we can't let him get the upper hand--so when he puffs up and starts moving towards us (lately, he's started jumping a bit--which my husband says is a fight mode) we stomp towards him and chase him away--he always backs down, but he does get braver anhd braver...oh, he's an Americauna--which I heard is a fairly docile breed and not too big. It looks like he has nubby spurs starting on his legs...any thoughts or advice would be welcome.

Robmcsched

Family: Husband, two kids, small poodle, barn cat, two rescued pot-bellied pigs, one rooster, two pullets and planning on getting more chicks!

 

[silkiechicken]

Just make sure you are at the top of the pecking order... I've had EE's from feed stores and they all ended up mean! Hope yours can be controlled. Soak him in cuddles and maybe he will be nice.

 

[Southern28Chick]

Ok, glad to find these posts--we have two pullets and one rooster--purchased in March as chicks--well, the chicks have been gettin' laid but they ain't yet a layin'.