What are the signs indicating that the cockerel is about to mature?

[CoconutCoffee]

I have younger ones who are possible roos and I'm waiting to hear them in the morning. My oldest rooster started crowing at 3 weeks. My next one was around 3-4 months but he had his dad and older hens around him. Now I have an 11 week cockerel that'll crow while still cooped up even with a 4 year old roo in the coop but is silent when outside. He started around 8 weeks.

 

[Cookies-Chickens2004]

I have a Dark Brahma Roo that's the head of my flock of 6 hens. I've recently integrated a larger group of 14 pullets (5 Bantams & 9 Standards) and a cockerel (Bantam) to my flock and they are 12 weeks old this week. The new cockerel is a Bantam Frizzle Cochin and he crows along with my Brahma Roo in the coop in the morning before I let them out to free range for the day. He doesn't crow once he's been released, but he's chases the ladies (both big and small - although he likes the bigger ladies better) and pins them down to the ground by their heads - pulling out feathers. The ladies scream in protest and typically run to get away from him.
Why is he doing this?
Will the big girls eventually allow him to mate with them? Is that even possible?
Will my Dark Brahma Roo try and mate with my Bantam pullets/hens?

Please advise - very concerned Chicken Mom

 

[TX Chick Noob]

@Mrs. K
@Folly's place

 

[Mrs. K]

I have had two late crowers. One I swore he was a pullet until nearly 4 months. But he never crowed, and the hens did not like him, and I dispatched him. The other one, was raised with strong females, he came into his own very slowly. And he turned into one of the best roosters I have ever owned. I called him Bye, cause he was so good, he got the bye.

Mrs K

 

[Cookies-Chickens2004]

I have a Dark Brahma Roo that's the head of my flock of 6 hens. I've recently integrated a larger group of 14 pullets (5 Bantams & 9 Standards) and a cockerel (Bantam) to my flock and they are 12 weeks old this week. The new cockerel is a Bantam Frizzle Cochin and he crows along with my Brahma Roo in the coop in the morning before I let them out to free range for the day. He doesn't crow once he's been released, but he's chases the ladies (both big and small - although he likes the bigger ladies better) and pins them down to the ground by their heads - pulling out feathers. The ladies scream in protest and typically run to get away from him.
Why is he doing this?
Will the big girls eventually allow him to mate with them? Is that even possible?
Will my Dark Brahma Roo try and mate with my Bantam pullets/hens?

Here's my little man - Leonidas.

 

[Mrs. K]

Recently I just added a new rooster to a newly put together flock. There was a matriarch who met him at the gate. They had several dust ups, that ended with her grabbing him by the comb and dragging him around the run. She looked like a mad teacher with a kid by the ear (in the old days).
He has not crowed yet.

 

[Sally PB]

I added a year old roo to my flock of 6 hens (1 and 2 year olds) last month. Everyone is in some sort of molt, more or less. I thought I saw fertile eggs a couple weeks ago, but no sign of fertility recently.

I have seen him mate a couple of the ladies, and chase one or two a few times. I've seen him tidbit for them, and also just go for the food himself.

He was the beta roo where he was, so maybe he's still figuring everything out. In any case, he stays out of my way, and has never so much as looked like he would like to peck me.

He is a VERY handsome guy, and I'm hoping to have fertile eggs to hatch next spring. If for some reason, he doesn't "get the job done," I'll buy chicks to put under my (hopefully) broody hen next spring. He can stay and be beautiful, since he is so well mannered with me.

 

[Cookies-Chickens2004]

Recently I just added a new rooster to a newly put together flock. There was a matriarch who met him at the gate. They had several dust ups, that ended with her grabbing him by the comb and dragging him around the run. She looked like a mad teacher with a kid by the ear (in the old days).
He has not crowed yet.

He's only going after the standard pullets in the group of chickens he was integrating into the older flock with - all 12 weeks old. He hasn't messed with any of the 2 year old hens. This morning I saw him tidbitting for his girls, and not one came to see what he found. I don't know if it's due to his size or because of his looks (Bantam Frizzle Cochin), but the young pullets really don't pay that much attention to him - other than to see if he's coming after them. As the flock travels around the yard - free ranging, he's usually bringing up the rear. He has decided he really likes my White Cochin, Blue Splash Marans, and my Bantam Mottled Cochin, but his tactics are really off. He chases them down then grabs their head and pins it to the ground while they scream in protest. He doesn't release them - they usually wriggle feel, but not without losing a mouthful of head feathers. I haven't seen him prance around or do the pre-cursor mating dance before trying to grab them, and I haven't seen him try to mount any of them from behind. Although none of them squat down for him to mount either. When do pullets learn to squat down for roosters to mate?

 

[TX Chick Noob]

He's only going after the standard pullets in the group of chickens he was integrating into the older flock with - all 12 weeks old. He hasn't messed with any of the 2 year old hens. This morning I saw him tidbitting for his girls, and not one came to see what he found. I don't know if it's due to his size or because of his looks (Bantam Frizzle Cochin), but the young pullets really don't pay that much attention to him - other than to see if he's coming after them. As the flock travels around the yard - free ranging, he's usually bringing up the rear. He has decided he really likes my White Cochin, Blue Splash Marans, and my Bantam Mottled Cochin, but his tactics are really off. He chases them down then grabs their head and pins it to the ground while they scream in protest. He doesn't release them - they usually wriggle feel, but not without losing a mouthful of head feathers. I haven't seen him prance around or do the pre-cursor mating dance before trying to grab them, and I haven't seen him try to mount any of them from behind. Although none of them squat down for him to mount either. When do pullets learn to squat down for roosters to mate?

They need to approach POL and sexual maturity, which is usually 16-28 weeks. Until then he is just confusing and traumatizing them.

 

[Cookies-Chickens2004]

They need to approach POL and sexual maturity, which is usually 16-28 weeks. Until then he is just confusing

They need to approach POL and sexual maturity, which is usually 16-28 weeks. Until then he is just confusing and traumatizing them.

How do I get him to stop doing this?
He just recently started crowing in the coop in the mornings before I let all the chickens out. My 2 year old rooster crows, and then my Bantam Frizzle Cochin cockerel echos his crow while in the coop. Once I let them all out for the day to free range my little cockerel doesn't crow anymore until the next morning in the coop. I've never heard him crow outside of the coop yet. He spends his day following his flock, and he just started tidbitting - although his ladies are basically ignoring him. Is he going to fulfill the same role as my 2 year old Dark Brahma Rooster of my original flock?