Rooster trying to breed before the chickens are laying

[bantam lover 12]

Hi, i was wondering if anyone knew if anything wrong with this 5 month roo of mine tostart trying to breed the other pullets (around same age). hes just starting to crow, but the chooks haven't begun to lay yet, cause its only getting the end of winter in aus. i was in the chicken pen, and he started trying to mate with them. is it okay for that to happen, cause she didn't seem too happy abouut it. should i stop it and if so how?
Thanx

 

[drumstick diva]

I think it may be good to separate rooster from flock, until the girls are actively laying. He is just going to physically abuse them, they will really be resenting him later & likely try hiding from him.

Lots of folks are no longer keeping roos. Unless they need fertile eggs for hatching or sale, the hens are much better off without one. They will continue to lay just as many eggs just not "fertile." ones.

Also a rooster can handle 10 hens, any less and they will get over bred.

 

[carlf]

Yes its normal. He's a teenager with puberty induced testosterone poisoning. He will will mellow out once he matures and the hens mature. .
You can:
1. Leave them alone and let them sort it out. I wuuld note that in nature, immature males are kept in line by the Alpha roo until they displace him. So our way of raising roos and pullets together is a little off from a natural flock. Which is why we probably see what you and others describe about there adolescent roos.

2. Temporarily separate him until they are all mature and he calms down.

3. Chicken soup or re-home him.

I like options 1 or 2. I would have a roo if I could. A good roo is fun to have around and the option to hatch peeps if a hen goes broody is really cool.