Older hens are not appreciating amorous young roosters!

[NHchicks]

Our hens have produced 2 roosters and 5 young hens this season. (We gave away our adult rooster for noise issues) The young hens must not be giving the signs of maturation yet, but one of the roosters is frisky toward the older hens. But wow, do the older hens get insulted! The teenage rooster frolics with an older hen, and then she wriggles away and chases him all over, and keeps making noises for minutes afterward, obviously thinking he's an impudent jerk. I've also seen one of our more passive older hens being romanced by this rooster, and her sister hen will chase him off for her! It's really pretty funny to watch. I think this young rooster must be violating some sort of moral code by being too young and harassing the older hens. Has anyone else witnessed this?

 

[shellz131]

 

[Knight Hawk Ranch]

Yes! They are teaching him all about courtship manners.

 

[NHchicks]

Quote:
Oh, good! I hadn't thought of that. I hope he learns his lesson well so he grows up to be a thoughtful, considerate male.

(My husband said maybe he needs to bring them more caterpillars)

 

[Casey3043]

My 5 month old roo thinks he is God's gift to the world of hens! Although he has 19 young pullets, whom he rapes on a regular basis because they can't fight him off, the ten older hens will have nothing to do with him. They've never had a rooster around, and they don't take kindly to his efforts to woo them. No amount of stomping, singing, cooing, or wing-flapping is going to convince them anytime soon. None of the full sized eggs have had fertility rings in them yet, although I've seen them in the pullet eggs.

However, yesterday I saw him jump on one of the older hens and peck her head and bite her comb several times (not trying to mate with her, just beating her up). Probably was protecting one of the pullets, as he does tend to intervene when the older hens chase them away from the feeder or out of choice dusting spots.

It's why they call it chicken TV. If I didn't have so much to do in the house (plus it's too hot out there), I would pull up a chair and watch them for hours.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Mature girls know what they need and it's not some young fellow who thinks he is 'all that and a bag of chips'! He will have to learn to be respectful and they will teach him... I wish I had waited until my girls were full grown before I got a roo...

 

[nanawendy]

That's it for the day Thanks!!!