Roosters mating too early

[CrazyChicken Lady]

I hatched three chicks and just because I have such amazing luck, they all became roosters. Now they’re starting to mate really early. They just turned two months, and one week old. And for the past week I’ve been noticing mating behaviors with multiple different hens. First it was just biting on the neck and holding on, and now I’m noticing full on mounting and real mating. They are so young. I didn’t think they would mate for another 2 months or so! Why are they starting so early? They don’t even have pointed saddle feathers yet!
Thanks for your help.

 

[sourland]

Some birds just start earlier - especially bantams and Mediterranean breeds in my experience.

 

[Aquira]

I had a cockerel start mounting at 9 weeks old. He only did it a couple times to his foster mom (she very quickly kicked him out of the nest so to speak).

 

[CrazyChicken Lady]

They are EE mixes by the way. And they are mating with hens lower down the pecking order.

 

[aart]

At 9 weeks it's not unusual for them to be trying to mate/dominate.
Are the girls submitting and is the 'cloacal kiss' happening?
Having 3 males could be is likely exacerbating the activity due to competition.
Time for them to go or be separated.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They just turned two months, and one week old. And for the past week I’ve been noticing mating behaviors with multiple different hens......... Why are they starting so early?

All three are doing this at 9 weeks of age? Somehow I get the feeling we're not getting the whole story, it just doesn't sound right. It's not that unusual for one cockerel to hit puberty pretty early though nine weeks is pretty early. For all three to hit puberty that early sounds strange. To me 12 weeks is early for all three but not unheard of. I'm wondering how old the hens are to put up with this behavior. This would be a fun one to see what is going on. It could be one of those things that makes chicken TV better than anything on cable, antenna, or satellite.

The explanation is that puberty has hit. Their hormones are telling them to dominate the flock. At that age it isn't about fertilizing eggs, it's about dominance. When the hormones hit the boys will often fight among themselves to determine which is most dominant. They don't always fight but they often do. They want to mate the girls. In chicken mating the one on the bottom is being dominated by the one on top, either willingly or by force. Usually with young cockerels it is by force, because no self-respecting pullet or hen considers them worthy to do it willingly. It just feels really strange to be writing this about three 9-week-old cockerels. They should be in their teens at least.

Often you read on here about hens schooling young cockerels, how some people think that makes a cockerel grow up with better manners if they grow up with a flock. Doesn't sound like that is what is happening here. It often doesn't in my flock either.

I don't know what your plans are for those three boys or if this behavior is bothering you. But that is not your question. As far as I'm concerned if no one is getting hurt no one is getting hurt. But it's your goals that count and you are the one watching them. Good luck!

 

[CrazyChicken Lady]

At 9 weeks it's not unusual for them to be trying to mate/dominate.
Are the girls submitting and is the 'cloacal kiss' happening?
Having 3 males could be is likely exacerbating the activity due to competition.
Time for them to go or be separated.

I do think they are touching cloacals. I was already going to sell them or eat them but I hadn’t worried about it just yet since I didn’t think they would be getting aggressive yet.

All three are doing this at 9 weeks of age? Somehow I get the feeling we're not getting the whole story, it just doesn't sound right. It's not that unusual for one cockerel to hit puberty pretty early though nine weeks is pretty early. For all three to hit puberty that early sounds strange. To me 12 weeks is early for all three but not unheard of. I'm wondering how old the hens are to put up with this behavior. This would be a fun one to see what is going on. It could be one of those things that makes chicken TV better than anything on cable, antenna, or satellite.

The explanation is that puberty has hit. Their hormones are telling them to dominate the flock. At that age it isn't about fertilizing eggs, it's about dominance. When the hormones hit the boys will often fight among themselves to determine which is most dominant. They don't always fight but they often do. They want to mate the girls. In chicken mating the one on the bottom is being dominated by the one on top, either willingly or by force. Usually with young cockerels it is by force, because no self-respecting pullet or hen considers them worthy to do it willingly. It just feels really strange to be writing this about three 9-week-old cockerels. They should be in their teens at least.

Often you read on here about hens schooling young cockerels, how some people think that makes a cockerel grow up with better manners if they grow up with a flock. Doesn't sound like that is what is happening here. It often doesn't in my flock either.

I don't know what your plans are for those three boys or if this behavior is bothering you. But that is not your question. As far as I'm concerned if no one is getting hurt no one is getting hurt. But it's your goals that count and you are the one watching them. Good luck!

Two of them do it worse then the third. I’m not skipping any parts? I mean unless you want some detail that I didn’t mention..... not sure what you mean by that. Their father is rather young and a frequent mater so I don’t know if he is a example? They are mostly mating older hens and they frequently beat up and mate the blind, senile hen we have. Other that I guess I’ll just have to get rid of them soon. Just seeing if anyone had any insight. Thanks anyways though.

 

[CrazyChicken Lady]

So. Update. I have decided to eat the little twerps. Does anyone know if a BOxEE would even taste decent? I know you can eat any breed but curious if this cross would be decent for the table.

 

[3KillerBs]

So. Update. I have decided to eat the little twerps. Does anyone know if a BOxEE would even taste decent? I know you can eat any breed but curious if this cross would be decent for the table.

I'm sure that it will taste like chicken.

Scrawny, little cockerels make excellent soup.

 

[CrazyChicken Lady]

I'm sure that it will taste like chicken.

Scrawny, little cockerels make excellent soup.

Super helpful.

What time to harvest do you think? In months?