Rooster Only Breeding One Hen?

[AUChickenGal]

Has anyone ever had this problem before and been able to resolve it?

My current flock consists of 5 hens (1-3 years old) and 1 rooster (2 years old). I have been trying to hatch eggs all spring with no luck at all. One of the oldest hens, my Speckled Sussex, finally started laying again a couple of weeks ago, and her eggs are the only ones in my incubator currently showing fertility/development. She is also the only hen I have witnessed the rooster mating with recently, though I do see him occasionally dance for the others.

He is a great rooster. He is watchful of predators and successfully gets his flock under cover when my resident hawk is visiting. He calls them for treats and is in all ways a benevolent flock leader. He has never offered me so much as an aggressive glance. He isn't overbreeding or abusing the Speckled Sussex hen at all.

So...Is this just the way things are going to be? I do have a young cockerel I'm raising this spring, meaning I have a potential replacement waiting in the wings. But I'm just curious as to whether anyone else has had this particular issue and, if so, whether the situation ever improved.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some roosters will favor the easy hen, or just one or two hens. I see it more in bantams. Not sure if you can change it. If you add competition it might help, but you don't have enough hens for two roosters.

 

[AUChickenGal]

Well, I'm adding 4-6 pullets this spring/summer. So, while my numbers will be low for two roosters, I'm hoping they manage to work things out and coexist.


To illustrate what a great dude this rooster is, I "have" a guinea (doesn't belong to me but hangs out here all day, then goes somewhere, presumably home, to roost at night). I've just started integrating this year's February chicks into the flock. This afternoon, the guinea went into the coop and started to pick on the chicks. The rooster ran down to the coop and chased the guinea away from the chicks. He's a keeper, this boy!

 

[Tired old Rooster]

I think that six new pullets and the cockerel being added may improve the situation.

 

[Shadrach]

Has anyone ever had this problem before and been able to resolve it?

My current flock consists of 5 hens (1-3 years old) and 1 rooster (2 years old). I have been trying to hatch eggs all spring with no luck at all. One of the oldest hens, my Speckled Sussex, finally started laying again a couple of weeks ago, and her eggs are the only ones in my incubator currently showing fertility/development. She is also the only hen I have witnessed the rooster mating with recently, though I do see him occasionally dance for the others.

He is a great rooster. He is watchful of predators and successfully gets his flock under cover when my resident hawk is visiting. He calls them for treats and is in all ways a benevolent flock leader. He has never offered me so much as an aggressive glance. He isn't overbreeding or abusing the Speckled Sussex hen at all.

So...Is this just the way things are going to be? I do have a young cockerel I'm raising this spring, meaning I have a potential replacement waiting in the wings. But I'm just curious as to whether anyone else has had this particular issue and, if so, whether the situation ever improved.

The natural ratio for chickens is one hen, sometimes two with one rooster.
Roosters have favourite hens which in part reflects the natural arrangement mentioned above. Reads like you have a good natural rooster.
It is usually the senior hen that has the right to mate with the rooster. In some groups the senior hen will attack a junior hen that crouches for her rooster.
This could be an explanation as to why you are only getting fertile eggs from the one senior hen.
It is also possible that the more junior hens do not crouch for the rooster and if that rooster is content with the one senior hen then he is unlikely to make an issue of this.
You don't mention the breed/s you have but this could also be a factor. If the senior hen is of the same breed or the same age, or even looks more like the rooster than the other hens he may mate with her for these reasons.
I've had a bantam couple where the rooster mated almost exclusively with his long term partner of over six years.