Rooster

[meetta]

So my hens had stopped laying for a few months. I was given a rooster to sww if it would make them lay . It's been a few months since I've had him and I am starting to get a few eggs. I noticed him peeking at the hen And I thought he was trying to mate . But he is just chasing and peeking them ? He is acting more like a hen them a rooster ? Help

 

[Isaac 0]

Can you post a picture of him/her?

 

[redsoxs]

He is likely just trying to show dominance over the hens in order to get them to mate. I wouldn't worry too much about it. But I have to ask - how old are your hens? Laying slows down in winter time due to colder temps and less daylight hours - but I would think, even in AZ, that they wouldn't have shut down completely for months.

 

[redsoxs]

Oh, and how many hens to do you have? If they range is there a chance they are laying them elsewhere? Is anything getting to the eggs? Even one of the chickens - an egg eater can be a real challenge. More info please.

 

[junebuggena]

You do not need a rooster to get eggs. Hens will ovulate just as well without a rooster around. It's completely normal for hens to stop laying during the winter months due to the shortened days. Egg production is seasonal, and directly tied to the amount of daylight a hen is exposed to.

 

[drumstick diva]

agree plus hens are usually happier without a rooster harassing them.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

agree  plus hens are usually happier without a rooster harassing them.

I can relate to that.

 

[BantamLover21]

If you post photos of your rooster, we can confirm his gender. Roosters can be just as "pecky" as hens as they show their dominance or try to force hens to mate, so your rooster's behavior is not unusual.

Like junebuggena mentioned, roosters are not needed for hens to lay. In fact, they can stress hens out and lead to reduced egg production.