Roo Behavior Question

[seminolewind]

My rooster "fake treats" sometimes too...it makes me MAD!

Other than that he is a great rooster! NONE of my hens want anything to do with him he chases them all morning but never catches any of them. I have always wondered why the hens don't like him and have thought about getting another roo they like better...I have no hope of hatching any eggs!

You'd be surprised who he's catching when you're not around!

 

[gg706]

I am very hopefully he has caught them a couple of times as I now have a broody sitting on eggs! They are due to hatch tomorrow! So I guess I will find out. So excited and crossing my fingers at least a few will hatch out. My broody is only a year old and has been VERY dedicated to her clutch. I would feel terrible to see her put her all into hatching out her eggs only to have nothing come of her hard work and dedication.

 

[seminolewind]

You know, you can check a few eggs before they go in the bator. I crack a few open so I can see if they're fertile or not. And my broody just hatched 2, and I candled them at one week- I just go out at night and reach under her and get an egg out. So cute!

 

[Runawaylobster]

Does this have to do with the age of the rooster, i mean if he is young an inexperienced then maybe he is more mean to the hens than an older guy who would take more care? or maybe i'm just explaining behaviour through irrelevant human metaphors...

Mine is only 5 months, he respects the girls in the group who aren't laying yet and leaves them alone, but the big girls have quite some feathers messed up... i am trying to decide if it's the rooster or if they are going into a moult?

 

[gg706]

You know, you can check a few eggs before they go in the bator. I crack a few open so I can see if they're fertile or not. And my broody just hatched 2, and I candled them at one week- I just go out at night and reach under her and get an egg out. So cute!

I have seen the eggs as I am cooking and they seem to be hit or miss. Some have the bullseye and some do not. Now, just so happened the week before my hen went broody the weather was terrible so i did not let them out to range all day everyday, so I am sure the rooster "caught" them for a few days before my broody got her eggs. So I am hopeful they were all fertile. I tried candling them but I could not really see anything that was obvious. I did not see veins or eyeballs. I guess I just dont have a bright enough light or just an untrained eye because my eggs did not look like the pictures I have seen here on BYC. Hopefully tomorrow will be the day, waiting is driving me insane!

 

[gg706]

My rooster is about a year. He has always been gentlemanly, other than fake treating sometimes. My hens may have a few ruffled feathers after but no torn up areas or bald patches.

 

[deerlady11]

Just wanted to say thanks for the post. I just got my first Roo. He is still in quarantine due to being sick when he arrived. I hope to have him out to meet the girls in about 5 weeks. I have 2 hens that are about a year old and the Roo is about 9 months old. I'm curious to see how the introductions are going to go. I did not know anything about "treating". I'll make sure to keep an eye out for that.
The Rooster at this point in time seems pretty low key. I'm sure that will change when he gets to have a couple of girls. I hope he remains a little on the sweet side. I also hope the girls are going to be nice to him. After all they have ruled the homestead for almost a year now. Only time will tell. Hope things work out for your rooster.

 

[gg706]

What was he sick with? Make sure it is not something he is a "carrier" of and heals himself and then exposes your hens to the sickness. If the germ is something new to your hens it could be disastrous!

 

[seminolewind]

gg706, cracking open the eggs for cooking and getting an idea of fertility is the best way to go prior to incubating. With candling, your best bet is after 7 days.

Deerlady, with that roo, it's best when the hens can bully him a bit., LOL. Mine was added later and the poor thing used to hide at night!
He was just scared to death! They ignored him.

 

[deerlady11]

Poor fella. My Roo has been talking through the wall to them. I think he's getting anxious. He has a long wait till he gets to meet those girls.