Rooster not doing his job? or hens not listening to him?

[PoultryLoverandfarmer]

So... I have a Bantam Rooster and Either the hens don't listen to him or he is not doing his job. Now He has been Mounting one hens but the other mature one whom is bigger than him he is not, the other one is not of age yet so He is also leaving her alone. Now the bigger hen will Squat but the rooster is only taking interest will my top hat, It's been over 4 weeks and still no eggs from her. Now I have been seeing some hawks and feral dogs in my areas and All the rooster does is jump up or hide while Clucking continually. The Hens Really don't listen to him when he gives them a cue to hide or anything, But sometimes or most of the time he really doesn't care. Do I need to get another rooster or what? or is he just very low in the pecking order with the hens?

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

Are the hens Banties or Standards?
Are they submissive to him?
Are you asking if you need to get a new rooster?
Do the hens just not care about predators?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How old is he? Sounds like he's young yet?

 

[PoultryLoverandfarmer]

The hens aren't submissive to him, No matter how hard he tries doing his little dance to show them dominance. Yes I am asking if I need to get a new rooster and the hens do care about predators but they don't listen to the rooster at all. the first question I really don't know.

 

[Biddybot]

Your description of his behaviour makes him sound young. Does he have proper spurs yet or just rounded nubs or what looks like short cylinders with rounded ends? If he doesn't have proper spurs yet he's still a teen bird in many ways and needs to grow up some in order to earn all your hens' respect. There are a lot of gnarly old hens who won't pay the slightest bit of attention to a cockerel...but they'll change their minds once he becomes a proper adult rooster and has the goods (spurs) with which to defend them.

 

[PoultryLoverandfarmer]

His spurs are still round but long, This is my first time having a rooster so I don't know that much ._.

 

[Biddybot]

Sounds like your little guy's still a cockerel--they technically only become roosters once they're a year old--in which case he deserves to be given more time to grow into his job. The nice thing about rooster spurs being rather slow-growing is that the young guys usually get all their sparring and fighting to establish dominance done while they can't inflict too much damage yet, at least not usually fatal damage. They'll also get their mating techniques down pat, hopefully, during this adolescent period...a clumsy, careless rooster with spurs can accidently rip up a hen's back pretty badly so it's just as well that your little guy is getting in some practice right now while the worst he can do is claw out some feathers. Again, try giving him a little time, make friends with him while he can't damage YOU either, and see how you feel about him a month or two down the road. If he's still inadequate in your eyes once his baby spurs have hardened up and acquired some nice sharp points and the same hens who are regarding him with disdain right now are still sneering down their beaks at him, maybe THEN I'd start considering replacing him...but not before then.

 

[PoultryLoverandfarmer]

Thanks for the information but is he fertile at this age? or not yet?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thanks for the information but is he fertile at this age? or not yet?

Did you ever say his age?

Check you eggs to see if they are fertile. Sometimes bantams can't hit their mark on standard hens. It takes a bit to learn how for some.