Rooster Readiness when in a Bachelor Flock

[Lizzy733]

Hello Everyone,

I've made a comfy bachelor run in my raspberry patch and all is peaceful with my little upstarts. So far, they are still respectful to me and give me my space when I'm coming and going. No in-fighting. I think they got all that out of their system before I split the flock and I've stayed on to of any signs of human aggression starting in the brooder. They've been crowing since they were wee little babies.

Now, I do want these roosters for breeding, but without being housed with the hens, what behavior should I look out for to know they're ready? Their sisters should be coming into lay possibly early next month, though they haven't started reddening up just yet.

Would the roosters reach maturity around the same time? The boys are mostly golden campine - hen feathered - but already looking the part of stately roo. Our SLW has been exceptionally slow feathering, so still looks like he has ages to go.

They're quite far from the hens (something like 50m away) with no line of sight. They'd be able to hear an egg call, but little else from my girls.

So eager to put these guys over some hens! Any advice on how soon?

 

[sourland]

They will be sexually mature before the pullets. When adding them to the established hen flock, expect some fighting on the part of the hens. It will take a cockerel time to establish his dominance and start being accepted and mating. A mature rooster will get to business immediately.

 

[Lizzy733]

They will be sexually mature before the pullets. When adding them to the established hen flock, expect some fighting on the part of the hens. It will take a cockerel time to establish his dominance and start being accepted and mating. A mature rooster will get to business immediately.

Cheers,

I split them off maybe two weeks ago - they hadn't started then, but should already have a bit of a rapport with the hens as long as they don't goldfish brain them. They were mixed with the main flock from 4 weeks old otherwise.

I'm being selective, so will likely add one roo and select hens to a tractor for the day and watch for breeding. - then everyone goes back to their mono-pens at night so the pecking orders don't get disrupted. At least that's the plan - rinse and repeat as necessary.

My boys are so well behaved with each other that I really want to cause as little disruption as possible. My hens have been very good this year too. Integrations have only taken 2-3 days, even with solo birds.

I'm hoping I can continue to keep the peace.