Rooster not doing his job?

[sawilliams]

Wasn't sure if this falls more under chicken behavior or flock management. Its not something I'm super worried about yet, but looking for incite.

Roosty is a 27-28 week old Lavender Orpington rooster (or cockerel still I guess cuase he's not a year). He finally got his feathers and started crowing about a month ago. But i have not seen him mate nor found evidance of fertilization. Now part of me is happy about this becuase at least he isn't overly active.

The flock includes 10 2-3 year old mix hens a second 17 week cockerel and 6 17 week pullets.

I assume part of his lack of drive is the older dominate hens and the fact the the younger are not yet laying. Then of course its fall and those that aren't molting are laying less then normal too.

So is the fact that his not mating just becuase of the seasons, and dynamics of the flock or will be ever get the balls to preform his deed?

I like him better then the younger cockerel becuase even though the younger is the same breed he shows more aggressive tendencies then the older one. But I'm still waiting it out as they arnt challenging each other yet and I want to be sure the older will start mating with the flock. But I may have to seperate the 2 cockerels in another month or 2 as the younger is starting to mature

 

[junebuggena]

I assume part of his lack of drive is the older dominate hens and the fact the the younger are not yet laying.

It's this right here. He's not grown up enough to work up the courage to mount those dominant hens. And like a good boy, he knows to leave the immature girls alone.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

If he is getting picked on by anybody, that will have an impact, as junebuggena said. As he gets bigger, he should start acting more like a rooster, and hopefully start mating them.

 

[sawilliams]

It's this right here. He's not grown up enough to work up the courage to mount those dominant hens. And like a good boy, he knows to leave the immature girls alone.

Thank you, I keep telling my self out least his waiting... the pullets are deffinatly his flock already though. He took over lead as soon as mama stopped brooding. A few of the other girls follow and sick close to him but right now it's like having 2 family's in one house. The older family and the younger family

 

[sawilliams]

If he is getting picked on by anybody, that will have an impact, as junebuggena said. As he gets bigger, he should start acting more like a rooster, and hopefully start mating them.

No other then an occasional nip at the pullets everyone has pretty much settled in the flock. He's been in the flock for about 17 weeks and though there were some issues to begin the older girls no longer peck at him. The pullets integrated better becuase they were with a broody, but Roosty was integrated by him self at the time

 

[Chickassan]

He'll get it. They're just terrified of mature hens at first. Mine would start running up thinking about taking a shot at one of the older girls and then his little bit of sense would kick in and he'd stop. Eventually he got enough gumption in him to woo those battleaxes.