Sexy hens?

[trainman]

I have 30 Plymouth Rock hens all the same age and 3 seem to get mounted by my roosters more often than the others. Just seems strange to me. Are some hens sexier than others?

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

Roosters tend to pick their favorites so be careful your gals are not being over-mated.

 

[aart]

How many cock/erels for those 30 females?
Are they confined or free range?
Multiple males can bring out all their worst behaviors.

 

[trainman]

I have 30 PR hens and 2 PR roosters. I also have one Lavender Orpington rooster but so far I'm thinking he must be gay or something as he has never made any attempts to mate or have anything to do with the hens. He spends all his time alone in the coop or pen. All chickens are the same age.

They usually free range but sometimes stay in my chicken pen which is about 25x35.

 

[aart]

I also have one Lavender Orpington rooster has never made any attempts to mate or have anything to do with the hens. He spends all his time alone in the coop or pen.

He's probably low male and is not allowed to mate by the other males.
It's a chicken society pecking order thing.

I have 30 Plymouth Rock hens all the same age and 3 seem to get mounted by my roosters more often than the others.

How much more often?
Are both males mounting the favorite females in succession, one right after the other?
If so, it could be a competition thing.
Have you observed this all throughout the day,
or are there feathers missing on the 3 favorite females?

All chickens are the same age.

How old are they, in months?
Are all the females laying eggs?

 

[trainman]

I have never seen the Lavender even get close enough to try.

They don't seem to be mounting these 3 in succession. Just multiple times during the day. These 3 have many back feathers missing and bare skin. That's how I noticed and broached the question.

Purchased July 9, 2019. I believe all are laying. The Lavender is about a month older than the PRs.

 

[aart]

Are they mating the other birds?
Might need to change up the gender balance of your flock.
Maybe split off groups with one male in each group of females to reduce competition.
What are your goals for having male birds?
Do you want to hatch out pure breeds or add the lavender genes?

 

[trainman]

Both PR roosters are mating all the hens but it just seems they must be mating these 3 particular hens due to the lost feathers on them. The Lavender doesn't mate with anything.

Change up the gender balance? Add MORE roosters?

Splitting them would be difficult due to the arrangement of the coop and all.

I want the male roosters for breeding and producing more chicks and mostly as protection for the hens since they are free ranging. A rooster makes a lot of difference in survival.

The Lavender was given to me and I was curious what the chicks would look like. He's not essential to my flock or plans and seems to be worthless. He doesn't crow, he doesn't mate, her runs from any of the chickens that chase him including the hens. He's probably going to make good chicken pot pie though.

 

[BDutch]

I would interfere somehow that the 3 girls get some rest to heal.
Btw it’s always handy to have a second coop and run. E.g. to give the girls a rest who get mated too much, or to separate chicks before integrating.

 

[aart]

Both PR roosters are mating all the hens but it just seems they must be mating these 3 particular hens due to the lost feathers on them. The Lavender doesn't mate with anything.

Change up the gender balance? Add MORE roosters?

Splitting them would be difficult due to the arrangement of the coop and all.

I want the male roosters for breeding and producing more chicks and mostly as protection for the hens since they are free ranging. A rooster makes a lot of difference in survival.

The Lavender was given to me and I was curious what the chicks would look like. He's not essential to my flock or plans and seems to be worthless. He doesn't crow, he doesn't mate, her runs from any of the chickens that chase him including the hens. He's probably going to make good chicken pot pie though.

No, not add more males.

Splitting them might not solve the problem anyway, except if you put the lav in with some girls he might mate them without the competition of the other males, if you really want some of his chicks.
Get rid of the lavender if he doesn't please you, either eat him or give him to someone who doesn't have other males. How long have you had the lav? If you added him later as a single bird, that would definitely be part of his 'inactivity'.

Oh and.....the bare backs could be from 'over-mating', or could be they have weak/brittle feathers that break easily. As long as there are no flesh wounds, don't worry about it. Or you could put saddles on them or remove them from the flock.