Question regarding breeding

[comitdust]

I have a new black australorp rooster that I added to my flock of girls. I just witnessed him mating with a 2 year old hen who hasnt laid in five months and my other rooster never mated with her. So my question is ...is this a hopeful sign that she may lay again or will a rooster breed a hen who isnt ready?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Usually the rooster will use a plump red comb on a hen as the indicator for being sexually receptive, a young rooster may not care, but usually the hen will be noncompliant. So look to your hens comb color. I do have some older hens who don't lay anymore but their combs will be red. The roosters I have never mate these older hen. So no real absolute answer to your question unless you get an egg.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A rooster will mate with any hen he can catch.
To determine if lay is imminent, the comb and wattle should be bright red but more importantly, there should be at least a 2 finger width between the pointy pelvic bones.

Mating takes seconds so even though you didn't see the other rooster mate, doesn't mean it didn't happen unless you sit out there all day every day.

 

[comitdust]

Her comb is a light reddish color not deep red like my others who I know are laying. She just came out of a molt too. Guess I'll have to watch more closely to see if I can catch her in the nesting box

 

[aart]

How old is the new 'rooster'?
Young cockerels will try to mount anything they can.
Older cockbirds know who is ready and who is not and act accordingly.
That was the best indicator of onset of lay with my pullets this year.

 

[comitdust]

He is 10 months old