Tell me all about roosters

[LABElle1225]

I don't think it's accurate to refer to bad roosters as rapists, or what they do as violation. That implies malice and understanding. Animals don't really have a concept of rape, as far as anyone can tell. What bothers the hens is the overall rough treatment, not the mating itself. It's definitely a bad trait in a rooster, but they aren't being malicious, and it isn't really comparable to rape. Think of it more like an overly rough dominance display. When most birds (excluding ducks) mate, it's a bumping of cloacas, there's no penetration involved and probably not much sensitivity anyway.

I think most animals have a mating ritual. I’ve seen YouTube videos and read articles about chickens.
Our current Roos do the song and dance with the dropped wing. If the hens squat it’s a go. If they walk away it’s done. In the past cockerels started out like gentleman then stopped. My hens were stalked cornered grabbed by the comb and head feathers then thrown to the ground screaming. Sometimes 2 at a time (40 hens, 2 Roos) Seems a little like consent when the girls squat and are not physically harmed. I was under the impression mamas with babies and pullets too young to lay should be left alone. I’ve seen hormonal cockerels attempt to ambush both.
Seeing both types of Roos, not needing aprons, or needing to comfort a hen who’s bloody, missing feathers with possible vent trauma I prefer the smart guys. They understand a physically traumatized hen won’t produce as many offspring but a happy healthy willing participant will lay more and more viable eggs.
I don’t think I could ever enjoy listening to my girls screaming bloody murder (louder and more urgent than a predator sighting) and in need of medical attention post mating. It’s disturbing to see an animal you allow around your family behave in an unstable, violent manner. It’s worse when small children see, hear, and end up in tears.
I do enjoy my “Chicken TV” with roosters wooing hens and egg songs.
I don’t want my hens to look or feel like hell. I am positive the offspring of a dude too lazy to drop a wing, spin in a circle, and cluck for 20 seconds are undesirable.
If a hen attacks and blood is shed most intervene and protect the flock from a bully potentially culling her. If a rooster wants to aggressively overbreed harm and traumatize he is a liability not an asset.

 

[Shadrach]

A month ago I had a sweet 10 week old little Black Copper Marans pullet named Maude. Maude was pretty and she was developing the prettiest amber colors among the black feathers. So...about a week ago (with the assistance of folks here) I discovered that she was actually Monsieur Maurice.

Today M. Maurice crowed for the first time! Things are moving fast around here! And he had the good manners to do it at about 10:30. Whatta mensch!

So now I need to know all about roosters. I assume he'll become dominant in the flock/s. I have 2 hens that are already about 18 months old. So far they've been the dominant ones. Then I have a second flock of 15 week olds which includes M. Maurice. They've all decided to live together nicely BUT they are 2 distinct flocks inhabiting the same space. What will M. Maurice's relationship to each flock be like?

If he's a late riser -- at least for this morning -- is that likely to be his habit? Because I could live with a bird who crows at 10 and I'd expect my neighbors to learn to live with it too. Even when his crowing achieves it's full volume and resonance.

What does this new talent mean about his maturity and readiness to make natural women of my 2 laying hens?

What else will be new and different or what else should I know to take good care of him and recognize typical rooster behaviors?

Thanks in advance to everyone who shares their expertise so generously!

Hello IamRainy.
I look after four distinct groups of chickens, each with at least one rooster. I call these groups tribes.
I can have up to eight roosters here with a small group of hens, usually three, or four hens.
I’m partway through writing an article about my experiences with roosters which may help those who wish to keep more than one rooster.
I hope to finish it soon.

This article will explain a bit about my setup if you’re interested,

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/shadrach’s-multi-coops.74344/

This article may be helpful in understanding a bit about typical rooster behavior,

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-not-about-the-egg-it’s-an-escort-call.74386/

You may be lucky given you have two distinct groups apparently with housing both groups in the same coop. If you have the space, and can afford to do it, then I would recommend either building another coop, or putting a dividing wall in your existing coop if possible and making another entrance so each group had its own space.
This makes for some really interesting behavior and I’ve been fascinated by the things I’ve seen with this tribal setup.
There are in my opinion three very important factors when dealing with roosters, one, if you are at all nervous with roosters they’ll know and be more difficult to deal with when they misbehave. Two, let the rooster be the boss of his hens. Three, I made far better progress with the roosters here when I stopped trying to make them behave as I thought they should and tried to understand why they behave the way they do.

 

[Hyper_Chicken05]

Hello IamRainy.
I look after four distinct groups of chickens, each with at least one rooster. I call these groups tribes.
I can have up to eight roosters here with a small group of hens, usually three, or four hens.
I’m partway through writing an article about my experiences with roosters which may help those who wish to keep more than one rooster.
I hope to finish it soon.

This article will explain a bit about my setup if you’re interested,

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/shadrach’s-multi-coops.74344/

This article may be helpful in understanding a bit about typical rooster behavior,

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-egg-song-it’s-not-about-the-egg-it’s-an-escort-call.74386/

You may be lucky given you have two distinct groups apparently with housing both groups in the same coop. If you have the space, and can afford to do it, then I would recommend either building another coop, or putting a dividing wall in your existing coop if possible and making another entrance so each group had its own space.
This makes for some really interesting behavior and I’ve been fascinated by the things I’ve seen with this tribal setup.
There are in my opinion three very important factors when dealing with roosters, one, if you are at all nervous with roosters they’ll know and be more difficult to deal with when they misbehave. Two, let the rooster be the boss of his hens. Three, I made far better progress with the roosters here when I stopped trying to make them behave as I thought they should and tried to understand why they behave the way they do.

Wait so the egg song isint actually a song? Lol that article just made me realise.

 

[Saaniya]

Most intelligent birds so adroable and sentimental I've TWO rooster who are house pets and home trained

 

[Shadrach]

Wait so the egg song isint actually a song? Lol that article just made me realise.

I have never understood how the egg song idea got established and then became accepted ‘fact’.
As I write in the article, one only has to watch what actually happens when a hen makes this call to understand that it certainly isn’t any sort of involuntary celebration at laying an egg!

One only needs to catch the rooster and take it to the hen who is calling to prove the point. In every case so far, given it’s the right rooster (the rooster of that hens flock, or group) the hen stopped calling.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Your roosters don't understand that a healthy hen lays more eggs, nor does a bad rooster "want" to overbreed. It's instinct. They don't know what mating is, they don't know what it does, they aren't thinking about how to have the most babies.
Programming tells male animals to mate as much as possible, and programming tells most female animals to be selective of mates to improve the gene pool. Some roosters have programming that tells them to put on a show to prove that they're a good mate, some have programming that tells them to go for mating as often as possible. Hens prefer mates that don't grab and claw them, and, if given the choice, select males which put on a more impressive show. It's nothing to do with them having a problem with the mating, it's an instinctive call to be selective about mates combined with not liking to be jumped on and torn up. I guarantee you that if there was a roo that could somehow sneak up on a less-than-interested hen and mate without any of the clawing and biting, the hens wouldn't have any major complaints.
Yes, the forceful mating is upsetting for hens. It's not the mating that's upsetting, though, it's the forceful bit. Having a rooster jump on a hen and bite/claw her without trying to mate would probably be equally upsetting.

I think most animals have a mating ritual. I’ve seen YouTube videos and read articles about chickens.
Our current Roos do the song and dance with the dropped wing. If the hens squat it’s a go. If they walk away it’s done. In the past cockerels started out like gentleman then stopped. My hens were stalked cornered grabbed by the comb and head feathers then thrown to the ground screaming. Sometimes 2 at a time (40 hens, 2 Roos) Seems a little like consent when the girls squat and are not physically harmed. I was under the impression mamas with babies and pullets too young to lay should be left alone. I’ve seen hormonal cockerels attempt to ambush both.
Seeing both types of Roos, not needing aprons, or needing to comfort a hen who’s bloody, missing feathers with possible vent trauma I prefer the smart guys. They understand a physically traumatized hen won’t produce as many offspring but a happy healthy willing participant will lay more and more viable eggs.
I don’t think I could ever enjoy listening to my girls screaming bloody murder (louder and more urgent than a predator sighting) and in need of medical attention post mating. It’s disturbing to see an animal you allow around your family behave in an unstable, violent manner. It’s worse when small children see, hear, and end up in tears.
I do enjoy my “Chicken TV” with roosters wooing hens and egg songs.
I don’t want my hens to look or feel like hell. I am positive the offspring of a dude too lazy to drop a wing, spin in a circle, and cluck for 20 seconds are undesirable.
If a hen attacks and blood is shed most intervene and protect the flock from a bully potentially culling her. If a rooster wants to aggressively overbreed harm and traumatize he is a liability not an asset.

 

[LABElle1225]

Your roosters don't understand that a healthy hen lays more eggs, nor does a bad rooster "want" to overbreed. It's instinct. They don't know what mating is, they don't know what it does, they aren't thinking about how to have the most babies.
Programming tells male animals to mate as much as possible, and programming tells most female animals to be selective of mates to improve the gene pool. Some roosters have programming that tells them to put on a show to prove that they're a good mate, some have programming that tells them to go for mating as often as possible. Hens prefer mates that don't grab and claw them, and, if given the choice, select males which put on a more impressive show. It's nothing to do with them having a problem with the mating, it's an instinctive call to be selective about mates combined with not liking to be jumped on and torn up. I guarantee you that if there was a roo that could somehow sneak up on a less-than-interested hen and mate without any of the clawing and biting, the hens wouldn't have any major complaints.
Yes, the forceful mating is upsetting for hens. It's not the mating that's upsetting, though, it's the forceful bit. Having a rooster jump on a hen and bite/claw her without trying to mate would probably be equally upsetting.

It’s like you tweaked my thoughts and I can’t imagine anyone would disagree.
Personally I can’t stomach the more aggressive style. I prefer the relaxed about mating dudes. Ours watch for predators and keep everyone safe and still have time to love the ladies. We just hatched (first time) 19/24 incubated eggs in an old styrofoam incubator. My flock is free range from sunrise to sunset across many wooded acres - a good gentleman roo can handle everything.