Over- enthusiastic rooster learning over time?

[mintyivyy1]

We have a 7 month old rooster who is a Green King-- VERY large, very beautiful, very demanding of his 9 hens. We did notice some feather loss on 3-4 hens so we put on hen savers and will do that to all the ladies if we need to. Seems like we might even need the shoulder attachments too.

My question is: is part of this his puberty/learning to mount process and it will be less sloppy and painful for them in the future? Sometimes he just hops on and off and slides around and engages in general shenanigans. If not, and he continues to just be a big, excited (and very good) boy, should we separate him in his own apartment outside? I think that would drive him nuts! I guess the other option is to separate the overmated ladies which we can do as well. Just learning the ropes with our unplanned and beloved rooster, would love any advice. All of them are 7 months old, mixed breeds, lots of space outside, many perches, big coop, etc.

 

[sourland]

In reality he is a cockerel not a rooster - think oversexed teen ager. I'd remove him from the flock until he matures and hopefully his technique improves.

 

[mintyivyy1]

In reality he is a cockerel not a rooster - think oversexed teen ager. I'd remove him from the flock until he matures and hopefully his technique improves.

Thank you--sorry-- yes, cockerel

 

[FC16]

We have a 7 month old rooster who is a Green King-- VERY large, very beautiful, very demanding of his 9 hens. We did notice some feather loss on 3-4 hens so we put on hen savers and will do that to all the ladies if we need to. Seems like we might even need the shoulder attachments too.

My question is: is part of this his puberty/learning to mount process and it will be less sloppy and painful for them in the future? Sometimes he just hops on and off and slides around and engages in general shenanigans. If not, and he continues to just be a big, excited (and very good) boy, should we separate him in his own apartment outside? I think that would drive him nuts! I guess the other option is to separate the overmated ladies which we can do as well. Just learning the ropes with our unplanned and beloved rooster, would love any advice. All of them are 7 months old, mixed breeds, lots of space outside, many perches, big coop, etc.

You could separate until he gets older and learns how to do it properly, which he probably will. But if you have the hen savers on I’d probably keep him with them for now, unless it gets serious and he starts drawing blood when trying to mate.

 

[Mrs. K]

Barebacked chickens tend to bother people more than they bother chickens. Sometimes it is the pullets feathers are weaker, and break more easily. But sometimes a young cockerel will just wear out the girls - A call you need to make.

But watch the girls with him. Are they in love? Do they want to be around him? If they are retreating, hiding and avoiding him - I would pull him for a month or two.

If they love to be by him, groom him, think his every cluck is the sweetest thing they have ever heard - I would leave him be, and let them figure it out.

Mrs K