Production Red Rooster???

[rchucks]

I don't know if the chicken gods just threw the mean rooster switch, but we just went out to the run and our newly found roo had one of the ladies by the neck holding on for dear life. Looks like freezer camp is a extremely real possibility. We've never noticed this behavior before. What's going on??? The kids said today that they saw the roo picking on some girls, but Mom and I just dismissed it since we basically found out last night that we probably had a roo on our hands and figured the kids were over-reacting. But believe me, ten minutes ago I saw what I'd describe as a big mean rooster.

Help please!!!!

 

[Tiss]

The boys grab the girls by the back of the neck and stand on them to mate. Chicken love can be rather violent. I still laugh at my girls; each time the roo has done his thing they shake out their feathers like a "/shudder. Was that really necessary?"

 

[rchucks]

These are just kids ha ha.... 17 weeks old. Is this mating time? Will he hurt the girls???? Sure seemed mean to us...

 

[Tiss]

Yuppers! I think 2 of my roos started around 16 weeks. The third was a late bloomer.

 

[rchucks]

So do we just let nature take it's course. Circle of life. Whatever???

 

[cpegram]

YUP funny i thought the same as you.....i had to look it up on utube to figure out oh it's mating....mine started at 15weeks...as the hens get older they wont struggle as much it's all a learning process....i had to house my silkies separate.....he was wearing my silkies out because they were slower than the others

 

[FRlEDeggs]

Hen aprons might help!

 

[Break an Egg]

The older the hens get, they will start to squat for the roo, it won't look so "forced" after a while.

As long as you take the eggs inside as soon as possible, your eggs will still be fertile, but no baby chicks inside. The egg needs certain conditions in order for the chick to start developing.

 

[Orchid]

I am laughing as I read through this thread because it sounds so familiar - I too have a PR rooster who came out of the pullet bin, he's around 18 weeks old now, and just started trying to mate with the pullets, who scream bloody murder and try to get away from his hold on their neck feathers. The poor things. He's been a friendly rooster so far otherwise, so we'll just see how it goes I guess.

 

[rchucks]

This is a great post. Thanks for all who have commented, your advise/stories are priceless. Orchid, your story is EXACTLY the same as ours. Those poor pullets scream bloody murder, and it looks like the most horrible act imaginable. Just the difference between the wild kindgom and humans. We're just going to hang loose for a while and watch what happens. I'd assume that the pullets will start laying within the next few weeks, as they are 17 weeks as of now. So we'll have to make sure and get the eggs picked up asap. Shouldn't be a problem as the kids open the laying boxes daily looking for their prize!!