Rooster Managing Hens But Not Mating Them?

[hollandhens24]

I have a 6 month old rooster who is an absolute delight. He has defended the ladies from a hawk and lived to tell the tale, escorts them around like a gentleman, ushers them to safety, and even rushed to get in between the ladies and a magpie who landed a little to close for comfort. Even better, he wants nothing to do with me. Leaves the coop when I walk in, gives me plenty of space… I’d like to say that Big Gary has a home for life. It may be due to his age, but I believe he’s only mating of few hens and honestly not mating often... I haven’t seen it in more than a month. Do roosters slow down with the seasons since it’s less ideal weather for raising chicks? Do some roosters just have a more relaxed approach, even when they should be in the thick of crazy hormones? Is it likely to increase as he ages? Picture of Big Gary now and Big Gary when he was Little Gary

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I have a cockerel as well who I haven’t seen successfully mate a hen. He does a little dance for them but they don’t crouch so he doesn’t mount them that I’ve seen. I’m sure this will change as he gets older.

I would expect your cockerel’s behavior to change as he gets closer to a year. I don’t know how old my current one is but my last cockerel was mating the laying hens by the time he was six months old and ignoring the pullets. How old are your girls?

 

[hollandhens24]

I would expect your cockerel’s behavior to change as he gets closer to a year. I don’t know how old my current one is but my last cockerel was mating the laying hens by the time he was six months old and ignoring the pullets. How old are your girls?

The previous two roosters that I have had were also mating by this age, even 5 months, though I have to say they seemed much more focused on mating and terrorizing the flock than protecting it. Also incredibly human aggressive: would trap me in the coop, try to attack from behind, and even had my mom trapped on the back of the pickup truck because one came after her They’re now compost. My current roo (I guess you’re right that cockerel would be a more appropriate description!) does a little dance as well and then hens that I’ve seen squat for him vary between 4 years, 2 years, and one year. But this does not seem to be a regular occurrence, I’ve only seen it a few times and not at all recently. He is not an aggressive guy in any way, seems to be quite gentle and accommodating to the girls. I prefer his protection to fathering chicks at this time, but do hope to hatch eggs, especially since I do like this rooster so much.

I would imagine it would increase with his age as well, I just wondered if weather (day length) had anything to do with it. In horse reproduction, mares stop cycling when there is not adequate light. We actually put mares under lights in January/February to get them cycling and ready for breeding season. This prompted me to wonder if chickens are similar!

 

[2ndTink]

Have you checked any eggs to see if they are fertilized? He might be doing it when you aren't around.

But, I did have a super great rooster that sounds a lot like him, he was such a gentleman, the ladies completely loved him. And I never got a fertilized egg changed him out for a rooster the ladies didn't like nearly as much, but then I had fertilized eggs.

 

[hollandhens24]

Have you checked any eggs to see if they are fertilized? He might be doing it when you aren't around.

But, I did have a super great rooster that sounds a lot like him, he was such a gentleman, the ladies completely loved him. And I never got a fertilized egg changed him out for a rooster the ladies didn't like nearly as much, but then I had fertilized eggs.

I have had hit and miss eggs recently that I thought may be fertile. With my last roo it was obvious, I haven’t seen a perfect bullseye in the yolk yet… ultimately I care most about flock harmony and protection, but I just want to have it all

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Hopefully someone with more rooster experience will chime in because if my guy doesn’t start mating the hens I will be very disappointed. I hope you’re right and it’s a seasonal thing. I am getting another rooster soon (still keeping the cockerel as well) so I will get fertilized eggs eventually just maybe not the pairings I want.

 

[2ndTink]

Hopefully someone with more rooster experience will chime in because if my guy doesn’t start mating the hens I will be very disappointed. I hope you’re right and it’s a seasonal thing. I am getting another rooster soon (still keeping the cockerel as well) so I will get fertilized eggs eventually just maybe not the pairings I want.

Have you considered trying AI? If he isn't doing it on his own you could always collect from him and distribute