When do roosters crow and begin mating?

[karlamaria]

I have a 2 month old supposed rooster ( see my thread on sexing my EE. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/716816/ee-chicks-3-weeks-old-pictures see second page for updated picture ) he has not crowed nor tried the love dance. At what age do they crow and get in the mood to mate? He/she is in a coop/ pen with 8 girls and one 12 week old sister. He/she is pretty shy and tends to only stick with his sister or mom. ( raised him from an egg )the bird is young I know but if he was a rooster shouldn'tt he begin crowing? Will he crow first before mating? Sure would be nice to have a rooster who did not crow lol.

 

[my sunwolf]

That blue one definitely looks like a roo. My EE roos started crowing at about 3 months. They didn't start dancing until about 4 months, and they're supposed to start mounting hens at 5 months and become fertile around 6 months. Of course, it's different for different roosters! Is he penned with hens that are older than him? If so, it may take a while for him to mount them. He also might just be a late blooming guy

 

[Smoochie]

Depends on the rooster. Some crow at 2-3 months while other taken 6+ months to start crowing. Mating usually happens around the same time.

 

[heybarb]

I picked up an EE rooster from a chicken swap a couple of weeks ago. He was supposed to be 6 months old...but I haven't heard him crow once. He's full size, but is definitely acting more like one of my 10 week old chicks. I have 2 bantam broody hens that are still caring for their babies and he comes running every time they call their babies for a treat. Perhaps mine is not as old as the previous owner suggested, or it could be that your EE and my EE are late bloomers?!?

 

[CKNNWBEE]

We found out last week that our Buff Orphington pullet is a Cockerel. Having never had rooster experience, everyday is a learning process. He was approximately 10 weeks when his little scratchy throat crow came out. The next day, he tried mounting our laying hen. She just pushed him off. He got the other laying Silkie though. He still plays with his brooder sibling like she is just that, but she is only 12 weeks, so he has no interest in mating her. He is having a soft moult. We just ordered him No-Crow Collar so our neighbors like us.. I couldn't sex him until he crowed TBH. He was smaller than the pullet. In one week, the point neck feathers, big red comb and wattles, and feathers started to change.

 

[Chickassan]

Definitely depends on the rooster. I had one crowing at two months albeit not very well. And one just started at four months. The late bloomer would only crow in the coop for the first few days. Only today he crowed outside in the open, he did it standing on my foot so I'm not terribly happy about that.He is also trying the dance but he runs away when the hens get too close. His big trick is shaking bushes, that boy loves to shake bushes for the girls.

 

[GardenTillers44]

We started a second flock this spring and have 14 pullets with our first 2 roos. They are all 20-21 weeks and last week the Orpington roo started a weak crow. He's getting better, and this morning you could hear him pretty good. The Sussex roo isn't crowing that we have heard, but he is sure tracking down the girls. He is trying hard to mount them and he had one squat for him this afternoon and he went through the motions. We haven't had any eggs yet from the pullets, but several look ready.

 

[kingchickies]

We found out last week that our Buff Orphington pullet is a Cockerel. Having never had rooster experience, everyday is a learning process. He was approximately 10 weeks when his little scratchy throat crow came out. The next day, he tried mounting our laying hen. She just pushed him off. He got the other laying Silkie though. He still plays with his brooder sibling like she is just that, but she is only 12 weeks, so he has no interest in mating her. He is having a soft moult. We just ordered him No-Crow Collar so our neighbors like us.. I couldn't sex him until he crowed TBH. He was smaller than the pullet. In one week, the point neck feathers, big red comb and wattles, and feathers started to change.

My BO rooster is 6 mo and still not a peep. He is a huge guy that is the quiet type. Lol he has no care for the girls yet. But I think he's mainly focused on food cause he is super tall and lanky. I hope he stays quiet and laid back!