The rooster next door

[andreanar]

I have 9 pullets that will go out to the coop soon, I have no roosters and don't want any. However, the neighbor has a rooster in his flock. If my girls are free ranging our yard, will this rooster come over and mate our girls? Will they follow him home? He's a little guy, seems friendly enough, but I don't want to go collect the hens every evening for lock down!

 

[SampyArctica]

How many hens does your neighbour have? If the roo has enough females and your yards are well divided, I see no reason for the roo to venture into your yard...our roo has never gone over to our neighbours yard (who also has hens) and there's only a tiny fence - about 1m high, and it's only chain link so he knows that they're there. But he doesn't bother with them, we have enough girls and our yard is interesting enough for him to have no need to leave.

 

[andreanar]

I'm not sure how many hens are over there. There are only bushes and a small fence separating. I've seen him in our yard a few times already. He looks like some kind of bantam, he is quite cute the way he struts around. He runs home if he sees us.

 

[bobbi-j]

If he's already been in your yard, then yes - he most likely will come over. You are either going to have to put up a higher fence, talk to your neighbors about keeping their rooster contained, or put up with him coming over. I don't see a lot of other options here.

 

[centrarchid]

One way or another the pullets and rooster will get together when former start coming into lay. Motivation for them to do so is very strong. Both you and your neighbor will need to confine your flocks to prevent such interactions. Otherwise enjoy the show. Having the hens produce fertile eggs will not increase tendency to go broody.

 

[donrae]

Agree with bobbi-j and centarchid. Your pullets may not follow him home, if they're well-used to roosting in their coop, but he'll come visiting.

 

[andreanar]

I don't mind him visiting (think booty call) as long as he doesn't hurt them or steal them away! Lol I'm kinda attached to the little boogers.

 

[centrarchid]

If the birds are anything like mine where I maintain multiple flocks that can 500 feet apart, then hens have no problem with going to a rooster in another flock even if only for conjugal visits. If the rooster has a quality territory, then a hen will shift to his location. I have had hens go better than 1/2 mile to find a rooster they could hear crowing if they did not have one for nearly a year.