Rooster age for breeding?

[gvntofly05]

Generally, at what age is a rooster old enough to start breeding? I have a flock of EE's that are about to start laying and I have a few BCM roos that are currently 4 weeks old. The ones with the best coloring will stay with my best BCM pullets and the others will be added to the EE's for Olive Eggers. I plan to introduce the roos to the EE's around 16 weeks. Once the upset of new chickens is over can I expect the roos to start mating my hens at that age or do they need to be older?

 

[patandchickens]

Cockerels may or may not produce fertile eggs at 16-20 weeks... many will be biologically capable but not have mastered the gymnastics aspect yet, if you know what I mean

Having young inexperienced pullets for them to cover will also reduce your chances of fertile eggs. So you can see what happens, but you may have to wait a while.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[hennyandpenny]

my aameracauna cockeral is roughly 15 weekss and we have fertile eggs.... he is breeding the older hens that are laying... about 1-11/2 years old...

 

[clucknpeck]

I have a brown leghorn rooster that started mating with my pullets at 5 weeks and now at 10 weeks he has definitely got the ummmm... "moves" down. But are you saying pat that he can't actually produce until around 16 weeks? This is very curious.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Roosters are usually most effective as a breeder at about 1 and half years to 3 or 4 years of age. The breeders that I knew and worked with would rotate out their breeder Roos at about 2 and half to 3 years of age.

I know that there is a segment of the small flock handlers that will keep 'em till they die...and that may work for them.

 

[dolly85]

It depends on the breed and the particular individual. The larger breeds take longer to mature and IMO are much more gentle. My Brahma cross did not crow or mate until 8 months of age and I now have a Langshan cockeral who is 7 months who is not crowing or attempting to mate with his flock of beautiful hens! I have had some bantam Cochins breed as early as 14 or 15 weeks.

 

[SarniaTricia]

This was my question today too.

I have a Freedom Ranger Roo that is "roaring" to get in with mature hens. The group he is in with are Amaracauna/E.Leghorn mixes. I think he has a heck of a time catching the girls, so he really isn't interested in mating them... His "sister" was red like my mature hens and he could catch her, so I thinks, he thinks that he can catch them too.....Had to pull him off her when he snuck by me into the brooder pen (she is there now because he was awful to her!)

My thought is to breed him (he is currently at 16 weeks and not experiencing any medical issues or leg issues) to my red sex links to see if I can get a more sustainable meat bird...... Then if he makes it till spring (he has a bad attitude and looks very tasty!), breed the most successful of his daughters to him (and his son to the layers again)... I am thinking large breasted layers?? (likely not, but could get a more sustainable meat bird)

Those extra dang Amaracauna/Leghorn mix roos are such skinny things... I am hoping they will at least make good soup!

So at 16 weeks, should he successfully fertilize eggs?

 

[ValleyPoultryFarms]

My prime time is 6 months

 

[hennyandpenny]

my ameracauna roo is breeding them at 18 weeks about and i have found the bullseye trademark of the fertile eggs.

 

[sarajane]

This is so interesting. I'm a total newbie at this. I have 6 pullets right now between the ages of 12-14 weeks. I *think* one of the buff orpingtons is actually a too but it's too hard to tell just yet. It's smaller than the other birds, but significant;y more aggressive. My question-if she turns out to be a he and I keep him....will they start mating soon? And if I don't want to raise more baby chicks (I just wanted eggs)....what do I do???