Rooster is mating hens that haven't started laying yet

[browntownfarm]

My red sex link rooster is just now trying to mate with my hens. I got all of them in early February but none of the hens are laying yet. Can it hurt them that's he's mating with them before they started laying?

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Cockerels mature before pullets do, so if you got them all at the same time, this is perfectly normal. The girls will be fine. If they don't like it, they won't squat and they'll run away.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Cockerels mature before pullets do, so if you got them all at the same time, this is perfectly normal. The girls will be fine. If they don't like it, they won't squat and they'll run away.

With the caveat that damage *can* be done if the cockerel is ill-mannered about the whole affair as young birds often are in their hormone crazed state and this is especially a concern with flock who are housed in areas with too little space to allow the pullets the ability to get away from him.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Quote:

True.

 

[browntownfarm]

They free range a lot so I think they should be ok.