Too young to mate?

[SmartyChick]

OK the weirdest thing happened just now. I just saw my 14 week old cock, mount and mate a 1 year old hen. He sneaked up behind her and pounced...I actually saw him mating her. She submitted, probably thinking it was our older roo, her own age, but as soon as the little guy "dismounted" she saw who it really was and pummeled him to the ground

my question: isn't he too young to be acting this way? I though it was around 5 months or so, he is only just over 3! Maybe watching an older roo do it awakens his instincts early?

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I have no idea what the answer might be to your question, but I'm laughing OUT LOUD at your characterization of the hen's reaction when she realized she was Cougar-ed!

 

[backdoorchicken]

if i knew then what i know now lol

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I have a video of my rooster attempting to mate a hen his same age when he was about 10.5 weeks old. It wasn't a very impressive effort but it was effort nonetheless. He had just started crowing about 5 days before the act.

And just so you don't think I'm a little strange, I was attempting to get a video of his pathetic crowing but he had other things on his mind.

And my hens still beat up on my rooster, even when he's not attempting to love on them. I find it funny to watch my hens raise their hackle feathers and peck at him. He is definitely way down on the pecking order.

 

[elmo]

Our little Serama/OEGB cross roo, Rocky, started crowing and trying to mate with ....well, anything he could catch...when he was only six weeks old. His siblings ran away shrieking. When he tried sidling up to a mature hen with his best "hey, baby! new in town?" manner, she promptly beat the tar out of him. It didn't daunt him much, he'd just try another hen.

That boy is going to be trouble....

 

[sourland]

Evidently, he's not too young.

 

[trunkman]

Same thing happened with my then 14 week Roo, he mounted an adult hen, after it was done she cold cocked him!! All pun intended...