Rooster and Hen - a match in heaven

[TwoLittleDuccleChicks]

Hi everyone,

Okay so I bought two little Bantum Duccles from a breeder, turns out I got one rooster and one hen (of which I love dearly).

Anyway, they are inseparable. They follow each other everywhere!!!! They cry and panic when they are seperated, they have dirt baths, groom each other, sun bathe and generally love each others company. They sleep so snuggled up it brings me to tears Ha. Purest of loves.

I am just concerned after reading some forum posts about the ratio of hens to rooster. I know that they are only about 13 weeks old so things could change in their behaviour but has anyone had anything similar happen? Where they only raised one hen and one rooster that just got along and were happy? I also will keep an eye out for how often he tries to mate with her but shes actually bigger than he is cause hes a porcelain duccle.

Any advice or stories would be great for me to navigate this, I would hate to seperate them.

Thanks!!!

 

[BDutch]

I also will keep an eye out for how often he tries to mate with her but shes actually bigger than he is cause hes a porcelain duccle.

Yes, as soon as the roo starts to crow and becomes a teenager things will change. Sometimes its possible to have just one roo and one hen, but you sure need to keep an eye out when the comb of the girl is getting red and her body is preparing to lay.

With many breeds its a no go for sure. But d’Uccle’s are sweet chickens so maybe it might work. If you have room for two more girls I rather choose that option, to prevent problems. Try to buy the same age or a little older from the same breeder.
You can buy friendly small adult bantam hens elsewhere like Dutch or Silkies too, if you quarantine a few weeks in a separate coop.

 

[BDutch]

Info from a Belgium site (origin of the d’Uccle) . You can translate from Dutch to English with google or AI.
https://www.kippen.be/ukkelse-baardkriel/

 

[TwoLittleDuccleChicks]

Yes, as soon as the roo starts to crow and becomes a teenager things will change. Sometimes its possible to have just one roo and one hen, but you sure need to keep an eye out when the comb of the girl is getting red and her body is preparing to lay.

With many breeds its a no go for sure. But d’Uccle’s are sweet chickens so maybe it might work. If you have room for two more girls I rather choose that option, to prevent problems. Try to buy the same age or a little older from the same breeder.
You can buy friendly small adult bantam hens elsewhere like Dutch or Silkies too, if you quarantine a few weeks in a separate coop.

thank you, hes actually already crowing - has been for about 3 weeks ha. Does this mean his behviour now will stay the same or will it continue to change?

 

[BDutch]

It starts to change now. And is continuing to change until he is about a year - 1.5 years old. I don’t have any experience with adult roosters, only cockerels because I can’t keep them where I live unless I lock him up at night in a soundproof cage.

@Shadrach wrote a few good articles about roosters and their behaviour.
You can search within articles, with rooster to find more info.

 

[Mrs. K]

You just have to wait and see. Roosters are a crap shoot, sometimes you get lucky...a lot of times you don't. Have a plan and set up and ready to go, if you need it, you need it now, is the best way.

A dog crate will work. But you need to have it on hand. With roosters when it goes south, it goes quickly.

Mrs K