Rooster age for breeding?

[Mrs. K]

@sarajane - if the bird is smaller than the same age flock mates, I don't think it is a roo.... could be wrong, but generally the roos are bigger almost immediately.

As for not wanting chicks, your hens probably won't go broody until next spring, and unless a hen goes broody and sits on the eggs for more than 24 hours, you won't have chicks. Even if she does goes broody, and BO are a breed that does go broody, if you keep removing the eggs, you will not have chicks.

To get chicks you need a active roo + a broody hen or incubator..... until fertilized eggs are exposed to heat for more than 24 hours, they are in a state of suspension.

It takes a keen eye to see a fertilized egg, they taste no different. People eat them unawares all the time.

Mrs K

 

[sarajane]

Thanks she's smaller I'm sure bc she had coccidiosis for awhile and it took her longer to recover than the others

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

Thanks she's smaller I'm sure bc she had coccidiosis for awhile and it took her longer to recover than the others

Just wanted to add my 2 cents...My obviously male cockerel is equal to or smaller than his 7 hatch mates, all similar sized adult chickens, so just because your possible cockerel is smaller does not rule out a rooster.

 

[sarahn5610]

I have a partridge bantam cochin rooster who tried to breed at eight weeks i have a son from him that trys to breed already and he hasnt even gotten all his feathers he still has some down. He is about 3 - 4 weeks lol

 

[jojann]

I have a black breasted old English bantam 8 weeks in with a year old girl. He appears to know the ropes and she allowed him. Could he possibly be fertilizing her eggs. She started laying today

 

[DoreesHenHouse]

Will a rooster breed a hen that is not laying? Either too young or too old?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Will a rooster breed a hen that is not laying? Either too young or too old?

Yes he will. Those chickens belong to you so in my opinion you can breed them to an elephant, but don't expect the chicks to fly.

Seriously, I don't think that you will get strong and healthy chicks unless the rooster is a minimum of 8 months old. But like my first sentence says, do as you please.

 

[DoreesHenHouse]

I guess I worded that sentence wrong. I know the rooster is old enough, I was wondering if my hens are too old to lay or too young to lay and if a rooster can tell the difference. Will he still chase them? I did noticed that he did not bother my new Ameraucanas until they started laying. I have 2 Marans (older hens that are not laying), however, he started chasing them yesterday.

 

[lazy gardener]

Doree, a gentlemanly rooster will leave the pullets alone until they are close to POL. Some roosters are, um... more pushy with their intentions. Often an older hen will not allow a younger roo to breed. So, it sort of depends on the roo, and how pushy he is. Cockrels who are dealing with raging hormones are often relentless in their pursuit of their same age or younger sisters, and need to be separated from them.

 

[DoreesHenHouse]

Thank you.