Rooster question

[JonathanL23]

Son ill try and make this short as possible. i wanted a rooster so someone emailed and said they had 2 but they'd like to sell one in particular because hes dominated and hes trying to become king of there roost. but they already have a older rooster they like and the other guy is slow and easy going he don't have interest in becoming the leader. so i bought the dominate Barred Rock rooster hes a year old very big guy. so hes been in my barn for 2 hours and i went out to do evening chores and he mated one of my little hens already. so i have a couple questions 1# well she lay a egg now because none of my hens have laid eggs since fall so if one does ill now its her. #2 well he eventually calm down with mating. i only ask because i have one small hen who got in to a bad fight with a bigger hen i used to have a couple months ago she was bleeding and in ruff shape i had 2 hen turkeys who picked on her too. so when he tried to mate her she freaked out and i stopped him. i guess because she was attacked in the past shes scared of him. and because i saved her from a few attacks shes became a pet more then the other chickens she follows me around and eats out of my hand. i don't want the new rooster to kill her trying to mate her. are rooster like male ducks , i know male duck will basically rape a female duck just to do there job.

 

[jacilee]

I'm pretty sure a hen will lay an egg without a rooster to help her. I think you need more hen to roo ratio, it sounds like you have 3 hens to the one rooster?

 

[JonathanL23]

no i dont only have 3 hens. and i know a hen will lay without a rooster

 

[justplainbatty]

no i dont only have 3 hens. and i know a hen will lay without a rooster

What are the ages of your hens? How many hens do you have? The rooster is doing what roosters do. He might injure a small hen, maybe, but won't kill her by mating. I have had standard roos mate bantams and they were ok. i would be wondering what is wrong with the hen and why no hens are laying, that's why I ask about age.

 

[JonathanL23]

my hens are all around 18-24months i have 13 hens one rooster. i believe there not laying because of winter. i did buy some laying mash today as its getting nice outside. well he stop mating in a couple months or is this a all year thing. i thought it was to early for mating season lol

 

[justplainbatty]

my hens are all around 18-24months i have 13 hens one rooster. i believe there not laying because of winter. i did buy some laying mash today as its getting nice outside. well he stop mating in a couple months or is this a all year thing. i thought it was to early for mating season lol

Hens should be on layer feed all year long or an 18 to 20% protein feed with oyster shell on the side during winter. Mating happens all year with chickens. A rooster is like a man, gotta have it all the time. Sometimes hens will even try hatching in the dead of winter. If you want to slow the guy down, pen him separately for most of the day. Only let him be with the hens you want, and after he makes his rounds (a few hours) put him in his pen.

ETA: Did I say man? I meant rabbit.......

 

[JonathanL23]

i may just do that. id like to have hime leading hes women outside but if hes gonna mate the little ones 24/7 then ya he may need a pen. will my small hen he mated lay a fertile egg now? or is there a chance she wont

 

[justplainbatty]

i may just do that. id like to have hime leading hes women outside but if hes gonna mate the little ones 24/7 then ya he may need a pen. will my small hen he mated lay a fertile egg now? or is there a chance she wont

You'll have to open an egg or two of hers to be sure. It depends on the age of the roo. if he is just getting started, he may not be fertile yet. If he is at least 8 months old or something close, then he is fertile.

 

[JonathanL23]

how do you tell if its fertile. the roo was born last april so hes a year old. funny my turkey aint mating yet. get to it

 

[justplainbatty]

how do you tell if its fertile. the roo was born last april so hes a year old. funny my turkey aint mating yet. get to it

Well, there are two ways. One is to break the eggs open and look for the bulls eye on the yolk. It will look different from the regular speck on the yolks before the rooster came. The other way is to incubate the eggs for 7 days and then candle them to see if anything is growing inside.
As long as his health is good, he is most likely fertile.