What’s Considered to be too Aggressive Rooster Courtship?

[Melrow1015]

We have 7 almost 2 year old hens (about a year and 9 months) and 2 7.5 year old pullets. Almost all our older hens are in different stages of molting so I understand the rejection at the moment. There’s a few that he’s pretty relentless with that he tries to mate with frequently, 1 that is currently laying but is slowly molting. The one I was speaking of had a hard molt early this year so her feathers are pretty much fully grown in and shes starting to lay again. She’s not super keen on his advances and isn’t one to back down much either. He’s been part of the flock for about 2 months now and I wonder if he’s still climbing the social ladder. He just now started crowing but I’ve seen a couple of our hens challenge him still. Thanks for the reply!

Are your hens cowering in the coop? Or do they hang on his every cluck. Or somewhere in between. If they hysterically try and get away from him, he would be at least pulled out, or culled permanently.

Otherwise, let it play out. Watch your hens, if they mostly ignore him, I would not worry. If they groom him, and want to stand next to him, well that makes me smile.

Mrs K

None of our hens are fearful of him at all. They all kinda bunch around him most of the time and preen with him, chill next to him, basically anywhere he goes they go. It’s pretty funny watching him randomly dart across the yard (I assume frolicking?) and they all waddle after him with their stubby legs that are half the length his are. I’ve seen several run to him when he does his little “I’ve found food” clucking. They seem pretty fond of him just not so much on his romantic advances.