Rooster Repeated Mating Same Hen

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
That may be true if your flock is always confined to a run, but if you intend to do any free ranging, i find a good head roo to be absolutely priceless! He keeps them together, protects them, warns them of overhead danger, etc., and he finds food for them, which is absolutely adorable to watch. I am much happier with the chemistry of my flock and more comfortable about their safety since my roo, Rocky, has grown up and taken charge. I'm not sure you could pay me enough to give him up.

I agree to a point. Although my Mouch hasn't seemed to mastered the "keep them to together part", he runs himself ragged going from one group of hens to the next. The poor boy is bag of bones.

haha. funny image. maybe he'll get better at it.

 

[dappertophatter]

Thank you sooo much to everyone for your warm welcome and quick replies! I REALLY appreciate your information!! My flock is a mixture of breeds. I think dappertophatter is right: the cochen is definitely the easiest to catch. I will look into a chicken saddle and will also try to provide a place for her to "escape" . I can definitely expand my run as it is still temporary and I live on 5 acres.

Thank you, Thank you!! BYC members are the BEST!

Oh, not a problem! Glad I could help- I have big galumpy Cochins too! My dear bratty Polish roo finds them much easier to catch than the zippy little Polish girls.

 

[Chickens14]

I do recommend the saddle, I have heard the boys can be turned off by it
I have a white Cochin that if the boy comes near her she is already swatting & ready

lol

 

[Krisssszzz19]

SITUATION: I just "inherited" a small flock (one rooster and 5 hens) from a friend. The New Hamshire Red rooster mates with most of the hens about once/twice each day. But he insists on mating with one hen repeatedlly- sometimes 3 or 4 times in a given hour. She is the only white hen in the flock and also the only cochen--and the most docile. She has to hide under the coop to get away from him. When she finally ventures out, he makes a beeline for her and does his thing again. There are lots of broken & missing feathers on both of her sides, but no open sores. Fortunately, the rooster has very tiny spurs, so he doesn't draw blood. I observed the rooster doing this to her even while they were still living at my friend's house, so this behavior is not new.

QUESTIONS:
1. I have never raised chickens, so I need to know is this normal?
2. I feel bad for the little cochen hen. She is almost always by herself, away from the flock. Should I get rid of her or the rooster? The rooster is beautiful and seems nice aside from this weird mating behaviour. If I get rid of the hen, will the rooster just pick on the next hen at the bottom of the pecking order? Or maybe this is just "nature's way" and I should just leave things as is?

I want to be a good chicken mama. Any information or ideas would be appreciated!

Thank you!!

Leann

My Rooster and Hen were rocking the barn loft for awhile I couldn’t see them just heard about 10 min went by I went to see if maybe there was a raccoon stuck up there it was the rooster and the mini hen she was not trapped ! Lol now there inseparable which might make sense if they weee like that from beginning but it just started after about 8 months that’s crazy !!!!! When the Barn Loft Is Rocken don’t come knocken

 

[Mrs. K]

Adding clutter to your run can be of help, she can get out of sight in multiple places. Multiple feed stations help, especially if hidden from each other.

Some roosters are good roosters, some are not. Some hens are victims, some are not. A rooster can wear out a hen to the point of death. So trust yourself, you are standing there - she might need a break from him. She might need him to be gone, she might fit better in someone else's flock.

This is call animal husbandry - managing your flock
so that there is peace in the flock. Change things if they are not working.

• Try pin less peepers
• Try adding a lot of clutter
• Try removing him for several weeks if you have a second set up.
• Try fencing her off an area, where she is with the flock but he can't get to her.

The big thing is to do something different, evaluate and reconsider.

Mrs K