Rooster and Hen Fertility/Mating

[aart]

You can bring a roo to pullets, but you can't make them mate.
Might just take more time.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Don’t get too hung up on what is normal. We can tell you a lot that normally happens when dealing with chickens but each chicken is an individual with its own personality. Normal isn’t always the same for different chickens. When you are dealing with one chicken, you do not have enough for averages to mean anything anyway. There are a few different things that could be going on. I don’t know what is going on and it could be something totally different or a combination of these.

It sounds like your rooster is molting. It’s not unusual for a rooster to be less fertile or less aggressive toward mating the hens when he is molting. I have had roosters keep eggs fertile even when they are molting, but normal means different things with different chickens. Some people notice a drop in fertility in the fall/winter even if they are not molting. Some don’t. You may fine he does a great job of fertilizing eggs in the spring when the molt is over and the spring hormones start flowing.

I don’t know how long your pullets have been laying. Usually they grow up fairly quickly after they start laying and start acting like mature hens. Some pullets mature physically faster than others, some mature socially faster than others. Some pullets will start squatting for a rooster about the time they start to lay, but some don’t. It takes them as while to mature socially. Females have a part to play in fertile eggs as well as the male.

Some hens or pullets will squat for anything wearing spurs. Many are more selective however, especially more mature ones. They expect a male to be a responsible father, finding them food, dancing for them, protecting them, and keeping order in the flock. The male also has to have a magnificent personality and the self -confidence that impresses the hen that he will be a good father. I’ve seen cockerels five months old be able to handle that. The rooster I had this year (he has been replaced) did not have the self-confidence to impress all the hens or even some pullets that much. He was well over a year old. I was disappointed in my fertility rate all year. It’s possible the Orp is more picky about who she mates with than the Marans is.

Some males will chase down an unwilling hen and force mate her. It’s their way to establish dominance over an unwilling hen. Some hens just don’t want to be dominated, but the rooster cannot perform his true flock master duties unless he is dominant. That’s not just about fertile eggs. How can a rooster keep peace in his flock and break up fights if they turn around and beat the crap out of him? What good does it do to warn of danger if they ignore him? Some people are quite happy to have a complete gentleman for a rooster, one that if the hen does not squat when he dances he just walks away. That’s not the rooster I want. I don’t want a brute but I do want one that will force his hens to respect him so he can do all parts of his job. Some roosters never gain the self-confidence to enforce his will (lack or that magnificent personality he needs) and some hens will never submit unless the rooster forces them to.

I don’t know what breed your rooster is? There are cases where chickens, male and female, that have really thick feathers can have trouble mating. The feathers are so thick he just cannot hit the target. Orpington and Cochins are two breeds often mentioned for this. This is usually more of a problem with show chickens especially bred and fed for thick feathers than hatchery chickens, but some breeders trim the feathers around the vent on both the male and female to make the target easier to hit.

You mention that his toes are curled. Personally I’d never breed him, he could easily pass that deformity on to his children. There are too many good roosters available for me to breed that kind of stuff into my flock. Also, if a rooster or hen is deformed, either from genetics, an accident or frostbite, they may be totally infertile or less fertile than they should be. His deformity could easily be contributing to his lack of keeping the eggs fertile.

As I said I don’t have a clue what is going on with your chickens. It could be the rooster, it could be the Orpington. It could be the time of year. We all have different goals. I’d replace him because of his deformity but if you decide to try to breed him, waiting until spring may be your best bet.

Good luck!

 

[donrae]

I think a good amount of it is time of year and him molting.

Come spring, I think you'll have all fertile eggs. Plus, he'll look a lot better

 

[OldCrookedToe]

Don’t get too hung up on what is normal. We can tell you a lot that normally happens when dealing with chickens but each chicken is an individual with its own personality. Normal isn’t always the same for different chickens. When you are dealing with one chicken, you do not have enough for averages to mean anything anyway. There are a few different things that could be going on. I don’t know what is going on and it could be something totally different or a combination of these.

It sounds like your rooster is molting. It’s not unusual for a rooster to be less fertile or less aggressive toward mating the hens when he is molting. I have had roosters keep eggs fertile even when they are molting, but normal means different things with different chickens. Some people notice a drop in fertility in the fall/winter even if they are not molting. Some don’t. You may fine he does a great job of fertilizing eggs in the spring when the molt is over and the spring hormones start flowing.

I don’t know how long your pullets have been laying. Usually they grow up fairly quickly after they start laying and start acting like mature hens. Some pullets mature physically faster than others, some mature socially faster than others. Some pullets will start squatting for a rooster about the time they start to lay, but some don’t. It takes them as while to mature socially. Females have a part to play in fertile eggs as well as the male.

Some hens or pullets will squat for anything wearing spurs. Many are more selective however, especially more mature ones. They expect a male to be a responsible father, finding them food, dancing for them, protecting them, and keeping order in the flock. The male also has to have a magnificent personality and the self -confidence that impresses the hen that he will be a good father. I’ve seen cockerels five months old be able to handle that. The rooster I had this year (he has been replaced) did not have the self-confidence to impress all the hens or even some pullets that much. He was well over a year old. I was disappointed in my fertility rate all year. It’s possible the Orp is more picky about who she mates with than the Marans is.

Some males will chase down an unwilling hen and force mate her. It’s their way to establish dominance over an unwilling hen. Some hens just don’t want to be dominated, but the rooster cannot perform his true flock master duties unless he is dominant. That’s not just about fertile eggs. How can a rooster keep peace in his flock and break up fights if they turn around and beat the crap out of him? What good does it do to warn of danger if they ignore him? Some people are quite happy to have a complete gentleman for a rooster, one that if the hen does not squat when he dances he just walks away. That’s not the rooster I want. I don’t want a brute but I do want one that will force his hens to respect him so he can do all parts of his job. Some roosters never gain the self-confidence to enforce his will (lack or that magnificent personality he needs) and some hens will never submit unless the rooster forces them to.

I don’t know what breed your rooster is? There are cases where chickens, male and female, that have really thick feathers can have trouble mating. The feathers are so thick he just cannot hit the target. Orpington and Cochins are two breeds often mentioned for this. This is usually more of a problem with show chickens especially bred and fed for thick feathers than hatchery chickens, but some breeders trim the feathers around the vent on both the male and female to make the target easier to hit.

You mention that his toes are curled. Personally I’d never breed him, he could easily pass that deformity on to his children. There are too many good roosters available for me to breed that kind of stuff into my flock. Also, if a rooster or hen is deformed, either from genetics, an accident or frostbite, they may be totally infertile or less fertile than they should be. His deformity could easily be contributing to his lack of keeping the eggs fertile.

As I said I don’t have a clue what is going on with your chickens. It could be the rooster, it could be the Orpington. It could be the time of year. We all have different goals. I’d replace him because of his deformity but if you decide to try to breed him, waiting until spring may be your best bet.

Good luck!

Thank you for your information! He's filled out A LOT since posting this and now has nice feathering an is easily mating all of his hens - except the buff oprington. However, I accidentally cracked one her eggs she laid today and it was fertile, so obviously something is happening even though I never catch them in the act - ever. When he does his little courtship dance she will either peck him or bolt. Any other hen and he'll just grab them and mate real quick without a fuss. He's a red broiler rooster and I'm not sure if I would even want him to hatch any chicks since he's technically a production mutt with a crooked toe. On the flip side, though, red broiler hens lay well so crossing him to a heritage hen who can lay all year might result in a good laying hen worth keeping.

 

[Joshbaker8452]

These are all the breeds of chicken I have ordered from MPC, obviously all brown egg layers except the leg horns which lay white. I have ordered 2 roosters being more of a "beauty" breed which I plan to mate with my silver and golden Wyandotte. I dont plan on mixing those roosters with other breeds unless you guys have suggestions for mixing? Only breeds i have ordered though. I am in the pursuit of a 3rd rooster but for more egg laying purpose mating. I don't want another Wyandotte, orpington, or jersey giant rooster because although they are good layers they aren't great. I know if i get a Rhode Island Red I could mate with delaware to get red star sex link chickens, but idk. I need help in choosing a 3rd rooster ,please give suggestions on different roosters and different mixture I can make such as australorp or delware or leghorn or rir or even speckled sussex rooster??? Idk, one I can't get is barred rock because they are out of males for my hatch week. Please help in my choosing of a good egg laying breed rooster! And suggestion for good mixtures of that chosen rooster to other breeds thank you![/quote]

 

[lazy gardener]

That's a lot of birds. Are you planning to keep them all? How big is your coop and your run? I'm guessing that you will end up with at least 3 if not more roos in that group. That should be plenty. Mixed breed chicks are awesome. My roo easily covers 24 hens with good fertility.

 

[Joshbaker8452]

Yes I am going to keep them all and the run is about 35-40ft × 12ft it is a fenced area which was there when we moved to the house, possible a dog enclosure. We live on 4.5 Acres so they will be allowed some free ranging also. I have ordered 1 golden and 1 silver Wyandotte rooster which I will only mate with the silver and Wyandotte hens unless you guys have any suggestions for cross breeding.??? But I also want a 3rd rooster which is a good egg laying breed but u can't decide what else to get. The silver and golden roos are for more beauty then egg production. I want an egg production rooster breed which I can mate and cross breed.

 

[Joshbaker8452]

The chicken enclosure has been heightened to about 8ft tall and closed to keep predators out

 

[aart]

Yes I am going to keep them all and the run is about 35-40ft × 12ft it is a fenced area which was there when we moved to the house, possible a dog enclosure. We live on 4.5 Acres so they will be allowed some free ranging also. I have ordered 1 golden and 1 silver Wyandotte rooster which I will only mate with the silver and Wyandotte hens unless you guys have any suggestions for cross breeding.??? But I also want a 3rd rooster which is a good egg laying breed but u can't decide what else to get. The silver and golden roos are for more beauty then egg production. I want an egg production rooster breed which I can mate and cross breed.

Sounds like a great run for ~40 birds...but what about a coop?
What is your climate/location?

The chicken enclosure has been heightened to about 8ft tall and closed to keep predators out

Wait, what? Says above it was 12 ft......so 8 ft is shorter, not heightened.

 

[Joshbaker8452]

Sounds like a great run for ~40 birds...but what about a coop?
What is your climate/location?

Wait, what? Says above it was 12 ft......so 8 ft is shorter, not heightened.

I live in Memphis TN so it gets kinda hot in summer and then rather cold, but of course they will be provided with necessary equipment depending on weather. And the run is 40ft long 12 ft wide, but since it is the standard 4ft high chain link fence we heightened it to 8ft high. So 35-40ft×12ft×8ft