So our Roo, after 7 months, has finally started crowing and mating. I've already noticed some fertilized eggs, which is great because we're interested in hatching some. Unfortunately, one of the ones we REALLY wanted to hatch from, doesn't seem to be...seeing any action
Now obviously I can't be out there all the time, but I've noticed a pattern.
At this point, he seems to only be mating those who are low and middle of the pecking order. The ones he's ignoring, are the birds he grew up with since May. So here's the tally...
He's mating all our new birds that we got at 5 months old, including our EE, BO, SS, SLW, and Light Brahma (All laying except the Brahma). They were all introduced into the existing flock of 3 brown leghorns and an older Barred Rock, and our current Roo, who was 6ish months old when the new birds arrived. When I say the BR is older, I mean, maybe 2 years old, laying wonderfully. Our first roo, a golden sebright, mated the leghorns and the BR. He became aggressive with us and we gave him away. That allowed Big Daddy, our current roo, to mature over the last couple months. But all the hens he grew up with since May are being ignored for mating.
Is this typical? Will he eventually get around to them? He's got the crazy hormones raging...learning to mate the other 5 pretty much from sun up to sun down...poor girls. But our BR is a hen who lays giant brown eggs like crazy, and we were hoping to take advantage of those good laying genes and hatch from some her. Can I expect him to diversify soon, or does he have his favorites and nothing we can do about it...
Now obviously I can't be out there all the time, but I've noticed a pattern.
At this point, he seems to only be mating those who are low and middle of the pecking order. The ones he's ignoring, are the birds he grew up with since May. So here's the tally...
He's mating all our new birds that we got at 5 months old, including our EE, BO, SS, SLW, and Light Brahma (All laying except the Brahma). They were all introduced into the existing flock of 3 brown leghorns and an older Barred Rock, and our current Roo, who was 6ish months old when the new birds arrived. When I say the BR is older, I mean, maybe 2 years old, laying wonderfully. Our first roo, a golden sebright, mated the leghorns and the BR. He became aggressive with us and we gave him away. That allowed Big Daddy, our current roo, to mature over the last couple months. But all the hens he grew up with since May are being ignored for mating.
Is this typical? Will he eventually get around to them? He's got the crazy hormones raging...learning to mate the other 5 pretty much from sun up to sun down...poor girls. But our BR is a hen who lays giant brown eggs like crazy, and we were hoping to take advantage of those good laying genes and hatch from some her. Can I expect him to diversify soon, or does he have his favorites and nothing we can do about it...
