Rooster trying to mate

[Heather67]

I have a Rooster I acquired about a month ago. The past few days I have caught him trying to mate with one of my EE’s. She is a year old and my Roo is 8/9 months old. Both times he climbs on the hens back another hen (who is about 3 yrs old) comes and knocks him off. My 3 older hens are about 3 years old and have not accepted this new Roo. They tolerate him but he isn’t big man on campus per say. I’m wondering why the older hens are knocking him off the EE?

 

[Trimurtisan]

Well, to be honest I think you've answered you'r own question.

My 3 older hens are about 3 years old and have not accepted this new Roo. They tolerate him but he isn’t big man on campus per say

He's only been there a month. If he's already trying to mate, I am assuming you did not go through a quarantine period.

What I typically do is a 30 day quarantine period, followed by a 14 day "see no touch" period. That last 14 days give them time to get to know one another safely.

Still though, if a hen does not accept a rooster, than she just doesn't accept him. If none of the birds are in danger of one another, I'd just give them more time to warm up to him.

In my bantam flock, I have 2 Serama roos. A'pollo has his girls, and General has his girls, and yes the hens will kick a roo off a hen if hes on the "wrong" hen. Collectively they live in harmony, but when it comes to mating, the boys better know their place.

 

[Heather67]

I kept him separated for 2 weeks in a second pen. They could see but no contact. The younger girls who are 4-6 month range Have no issues with him, it’s just the oldest hens that were my first and second group to ever have seem to push him off if he is trying to mate with @their group”.

 

[aart]

I’m wondering why the older hens are knocking him off the EE?

They are being dominant.
He hasn't dominated the older hens yet, not surprising as they are probably molting and/or not laying and they have no use for him.
As long as no blood letting or beatings are happening, let them work it out.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’m wondering why the older hens are knocking him off the EE?

He is not a mature rooster, he is an immature cockerel. The hen knocking him off is dominant. The mating act is as much if not more about dominance as it is about sex. The one on bottom is accepting the dominance of the one on top, either willingly or by force. Even if your EE will accept that cockerel as dominant your head hen or other mature hens may not. She keeps him in his subordinate role by knocking him off whenever he tries to mate.

At some point he will mature enough to take over as flock master. I've had one do that at 5 months, another waited until 11 months so he is about due. The personality of the dominant hen has something to do with that timing too. Some hens can be pretty domineering. When he matures enough to stand up to her his takeover of the dominant position may go very smoothly or it could get violent.

Since I play with genetics I typically keep a new cockerel every year so I've been through this a lot. Most of the time it goes so smooth I hardly notice but with that 11 month old he and the hen fought off and on for two days before she finally accepted him as dominant. They then become best buddies.

 

[Heather67]

He is not a mature rooster, he is an immature cockerel. The hen knocking him off is dominant. The mating act is as much if not more about dominance as it is about sex. The one on bottom is accepting the dominance of the one on top, either willingly or by force. Even if your EE will accept that cockerel as dominant your head hen or other mature hens may not. She keeps him in his subordinate role by knocking him off whenever he tries to mate.

At some point he will mature enough to take over as flock master. I've had one do that at 5 months, another waited until 11 months so he is about due. The personality of the dominant hen has something to do with that timing too. Some hens can be pretty domineering. When he matures enough to stand up to her his takeover of the dominant position may go very smoothly or it could get violent.

Since I play with genetics I typically keep a new cockerel every year so I've been through this a lot. Most of the time it goes so smooth I hardly notice but with that 11 month old he and the hen fought off and on for two days before she finally accepted him as dominant. They then become best buddies.

Thank you! he isn't dominant at all. Well not here so far. lol I acquired him from a home where he was badly beaten up from the other Roosters, so far he is very quiet and runs from the older (big) hens. I have seen a hen refuse a roo before just not another hen come flying over from the other side of the coop and knock a roo off another hen. Its all new to me.

 

[Heather67]

They are being dominant.
He hasn't dominated the older hens yet, not surprising as they are probably molting and/or not laying and they have no use for him.
As long as no blood letting or beatings are happening, let them work it out.

Thank you. My EE layed last year but have not started laying since their molt. He won't touch the older hens lol He knows they won't tolerate him.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I've seen the same thing here with my teeny little Sebright cockerel. He's just shy of 5 months old, and he tries soooooo hard... I have mostly large breed ladies, so the parts don't line up when he does get a chance, but my top hen knocks him off if she sees him jumping on any of the others. She's the only hen he won't try his luck with.

I'm grateful she won't tolerate him. She's been teaching him manners!

 

[Heather67]

I've seen the same thing here with my teeny little Sebright cockerel. He's just shy of 5 months old, and he tries soooooo hard... I have mostly large breed ladies, so the parts don't line up when he does get a chance, but my top hen knocks him off if she sees him jumping on any of the others. She's the only hen he won't try his luck with.

I'm grateful she won't tolerate him. She's been teaching him manners!

yes i have never seen another hen break up the process,