Rooster Chat

[abellchicken]

I have 14 hens and I bought a 2 year Rooster to cover them. The hen love him. Follow him around and get food off his face. They even Squat down beside him. He does not even seem interested. I have had him for 5 weeks now and no fertile eggs. How do I get him to preform. I bought him specifically to fertilize my hens. Any suggestions.

 

[the poppster]

I have 14 hens and I bought a 2 year Rooster to cover them.  The hen love him.  Follow him around and get food off his face.  They even Squat down beside him.  He does not even seem interested.   I have had him for 5 weeks now and no fertile eggs.  How do I get him to preform.  I bought him specifically to fertilize my hens.  Any suggestions.

I'd get another rooster....a young cockrel...preferably free one....unless you are breeding for a specific breed, maybe the old guy needs a bit of competition? Another thing is if you live in the northern hemisphere, we are heading into winter...the rooster may not be to interested with his testosterone levels running a bit low at this time of the year. If he's some special rare breed...maybe he quit doing his "Job" at the place you purchased him from and the old owner wanted to get rid of him due to lack of performance? Another thing is he might not be feeling up well?

 

[the poppster]

Oh, another thing...does he act like a rooster? Does he tidbit the girls? Actively calling the hens to any special treat he finds? He could be a hen masquerading as a rooster...don't know what they call it...but it does happen...a female that looks male...b

 

[the poppster]

It can be done, they will fight....it could get bloody before someone backs down. I'd stick around during the initial introduction, be ready to intervene if things go to far...if neither one will back down...it's not pretty...can get really bloody...either one could get seriously injured...or killed...seems extreme but it could happen...my Silkie Roo Larry had my little Welsummer Banty Christopher on the run and beating the heck out of him...the battle must have been going on for a while....poor Christopher was down and Larry was kicking and grabbing him....Chris was just about done for, all he wanted to do was get away from Larry...but he was so warn out, he was just laying in the dirt on his back, trying to fend off the blows...I grabbed Larry so Chris could make himself scarce...they haven't had any problems since...I think Chris brought it on...Larry is pretty mellow, but he won't back down to a challenge....one would never believe it....he looks like a fuzzy black stuffed toy, till you look closer...at his Big dark brown bright eyes....he's not missing a thing, going on around him...and what he may lack in stature and impressive plumage...he makes up in courage....can't help but love the feisty little guy!

 

[microchick]

I was going to suggest getting him a stack of Hens with Fluffy Butts magazines, locking him in the coop for a week and when you hear him trying to tear through the walls with his beak, open the door and get out of his way.

Sorry I couldn't resist.

No, seriously, I agree with the poppster. 2 years old isn't a spring chicken but it isn't that old either. Some competition from a younger rooster will either kick in his hormones or the younger bird will become the alpha male. Still two roosters are better than one when it comes to protecting a harem of hens. If he is in molt like my roosters are then like mentioned, his testosterone levels are going to be lower and so would his interest in the ladies. I haven't seen my senior roosters mount a hen since they started molting back in Sept. They are guarding them, hanging out with them but no mating. My younger cockerels are showing plenty of interest in the girls, but the majority of them are also molting so it's strictly hands off mister.

I would have a talk with the previous owner about his performance with their flock and go from there. If you can give him a little more time to make sure he isn't molting and if colder temps and winter shorter daylight hours have his hormones in a slump he just may come around for you.

I hope he does. I'm partial to the roosters and want to compliment you for giving one a home.

 

[the poppster]

Hey Popster,

Thank you for the great report!

I would be grateful to have any feathers Roger cares to share.

I'm in southern California. There have got to be dozens of white roosters in the area, but believe it or not, I've had no luck finding them.

I don't want to go online and just buy rooster feathers -- I'd rather have them from a source where I know they are real, from a real animal ;-) Roger sounds like an excellent candidate. 

You sound pretty down to earth so I hope you don't laugh at me, but the vision I had was of a spirit guide, in the form of a young native American man's body, who identified himself as White Rooster. He was very powerful, beautiful and capable of shape shifting.

Tell Roger his feathers are going to amplify his rooster-ly powers!  Thank you

Dear AbbeAbbe, I'll do the best I can we will have to see if old Rodger will cooperate! I will keep you posted. Poppster

 

[AbbeAbbe]

Thanks, Poppster, and please ask Rodger to forgive me for misspelling his name!

 

[the poppster]

Thanks, Poppster, and please ask Rodger to forgive me for misspelling his name! 

Oh one way or another...he can't spell anyway!

 

[pamperedamber]

I am just starting to add roosters to my flock. I hatched them under a broody about 9 weeks ago. I have 1 Lavender Ameraucana, 2 blue Ameraucanas, and 1 black ameraucana, and 1 splash ameraucana. That I am pretty sure are cockerels. I am hoping the other 5 9 weekers are pullets, but not holding my breathe. Time will tell. We are growing them out to put them in a breeding program for my kids 4-H project next year. This year they are just showing the 1 Blue Ameraucana and Delaware Hens.

Right now my cockerels are starting to fight each-other and pull out feathers. Is this normal for 9-10 weeks? Do i need to separate them from the girls at this point or at all? I will be getting rid of a few of them once they grow out more or as I see disqualifies show up.

 

[microchick]

At their age I would wager that they are testing the waters and working on pecking order within their group. My cockerels from a June hatch are just now starting to spar with one another even as they learn to crow. It's so cute when they are little. I just had two 9 month old half brothers go at it last week. I expected the larger of the two to come out on top but he wound up with a muscle injury in his hip. They do mean it when they are mature and fight.

Your roosters will start to show interest in the hens before the hens start to lay. They mature faster. When you notice them trying to grab the hens by the back of their neck feathers and mount them, then it is time to either remove all the cockerels or leave those in that you want to use for your breeding program. They won't have any finesse. The hens will scream, feathers will fly at first but they will learn as they mature.