Roosters in the spring

[miss jay's mama]

My rooster and hens will be a year old this spring. Do roosters become more active in the spring? I already had to get the hens saddles. Will he be mating them more in the spring??

I've read roosters tend to become more gentlemen like after year or once they figure out what they are doing

 

[wings]

I haven't noticed anything wiff my rooster!

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I notice, and many will agree with me here, that roos get very territorial over hens. This is their big mating season, fighting other chooks and humans alike for their mating rights. I've noticed my guys are beating each other up more than usual.

Yes, you should notice and increase in mating. At least I do. Good job preparing! Gentlemen or not, rooster are roosers. This season they lose their heads easily. My two-year-old are horrible. Nasty, nasty, nasty!

 

[miss jay's mama]

So I can expect him to be a bit more aggressive towards me or anyone else that goes near his hens

I guess I'll have to chase him around more often to show him who's boss.
Will he calm down in a few months? He really is a nice rooster most of the time but he does freak out if I upset the hens.
As far as him mating more, is it OK to lock him up inside the hen house. I have a medium size dog crate the wire kind that I put in the hen house so they can see and "talk" to each other. I think this is less stressful on the flock but I'm new to this...thoughts

 

[basicliving]

miss jay's mama - my personal thoughts on locking up your rooster is that I would not do that. I'm guessing one of the reasons you have a rooster is to help protect the flock? He's only doing what nature tells him to do - mate, mate, mate, eat, mate, mate, mate, drink, mate, mate......

And hopefully through it all, he is watching out for the flock.

It's good you've got saddles on your hens. Hopefully that will help.

Best of luck,
Penny

 

[ams3651]

mine is a little more agressive toward us but he is also more attentive towards the girls. Keeping them together when they are ranging and keeping them from the road. Its like he's grown up and learned his job.

 

[miss jay's mama]

Quote:
My chickies do not free range, too many dogs and other predators around. So they are protected even when he's not around to protect them.But he definately does his job

I don't plan on locking him up(again) unless the saddles don't help. I had him locked up a couple of weeks ago before the saddles arrived just to give the gals a break. I guess my question should have been is it better to have him locked up where he can see the others or off by himself??
( The reason I have a rooster.... she turned out to be a he. )

 

[basicliving]

Then I agree - if you are going to lock him up, I would do it where he can see the others, and they can see him. It will help to keep the pecking order established, and I do believe it is much less stressful for him to see the others. I've had sick ones inside in a crate that won't touch a speck of food, but will gobble it up once they can see the others.

Best of luck,
Penny