Roo coming of age--hens sparing

[PhlyinPheBee]

Hi there. I have 12 hens and 1 roo. He is 6 months old and I have seen him on a hen. My eggs production is so way down and now the gals are sparing with him, each other. Is this due to the roo????

 

[PhlyinPheBee]

 

[theFox]

How old are your hens, they tend to go through a mini-moult around 9 months some earlier and some later but around then, frequently their lay rate drops off.

Also additional stress (perhaps caused by the roo) can have a negative impact on egg laying.

Why do you have the roo, you don't really need a roo to get eggs.

 

[PhlyinPheBee]

Some of the hens (5) molted last fall and the rest are last spring chicks. I see no extra feathers at all. It is just so weird that they all have slowed down together. I just did not know if it was due to the roo. I thought the roo was a hen and I fell in love with the bird. Also he was born on my birthday! He is a full cochin and very laid back for the most part. I want to let a hen go broody later on in the spring to have my own chicks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is a reasonable chance it is because of the rooster. You did not say if you had just added him or if he has been with the flock and has just come into his maturity. Either way, the flock dynamics, pecking order and dominance, are changing which can add stress to the laying flock. They can cut back on laying when under stress. It should work itself out before too long.

 

[PhlyinPheBee]

he was hatched out here. I will just have to wait and watch. THanks for your help.