Rooster making hens slow down egg production?

[MI-Homesteader]

I was talking with my neighbor today (who is very anti rooster) and he was telling me that my rooster will make my 17 layers slow down egg production. I have never heard this and was wondering if he is just trying to get me to get rid of my rooster....I own 10 acres in a very pro small farm community so there are no laws banning roosters so I dont plan on getting rid of him, he is a great rooster he treats the girls well and he is very nice toward my wife and I and our two young daughters (6 and 3) besides we are trying to become more self sufficient and plan on hatching our own chicks so that I dont have to pay $3 a bird anymore...... So what do you guys think? is he pulling my chain or not?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I don't know about you chain but he is definitely pulling your leg. When there is sufficient room hens look up their favorite roosters each and every day for a little X rated recreation.

 

[MI-Homesteader]

I've already seen that happen LOL, but my question is will the hens slow down egg production because there's a rooster there?

 

[CluckerCottage]

If the rooster is stressing them out badly, yes they can decrease egg production.

 

[bobbi-j]

I've already seen that happen LOL, but my question is will the hens slow down egg production because there's a rooster there?

In short, no. Not generally. If you didn't have enough hens for him to spread the lovin', then it could slow them down if they're stressed from over breeding. But with 17 hens, that should not be a problem.

 

[aart]

If the rooster is stressing them out badly, yes they can decrease egg production.

This can be true.....if cockbird is a really 'bad' bird....or young cockerel(s) can definitely put off the laying by stalking the nest boxes for some action.

 

[carlf]

If your rooster is as good to his hens are you indicated Your neighbor is full poop, to put it nicely.

 

[donrae]

We tend to get so focused on eggs as a food source, we forget they are the bird's means of reproduction, first. It wouldn't make much sense for the hen's method of reproduction to shut down in the presence of a male. That would be one species that wouldn't be around very long

Seriously, as stated above, an aggressive young cockerel in confinement with pullets can slow production. A bad rooster can also. I've had one memorable psycho stalker rooster in my 20+ years of chicken keeping who terrorized two specific hens. Other than him, all my roosters have been quite the gentlemen and most times I wouldn't know what to do if I got any more eggs.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

1. Any rooster who is at least 18 months old and is still acting like a 16 year old boy is a good candidate for the stew pot.

2. Roosters are very much like men, meaning that with age comes wisdom.

3. No self respecting rooster would chase down a hen just to mate with her when he can calmly walk up to them, cut his wing and mate with them all,

4. Refer back to my second sentence.

 

[Randy Joye]

Well, for about the last 3 months we thought our Australorpes, 10 hens and 1mean rooster had been going through molt. But the decline in egg production down to 2 a day has lasted over a month here in November and December in South Carolina. We have been long tired of this rooster, about 2 years old. I removed him this morning from the run. Today we got 8 eggs. I'll see if I can let you know if it continues. At the moment I would say the hens have been stressed out by him. No other changes, just him.