When is my Roo mating my Hen

[BrandoMan]

I got a sneaky Roo and Hen. I know they mate cause my hens always missing wing feathers by her back. My Roo is very large so I guess he doesn't have to hold onto her neck cause she never missing neck feathers just he just sits ontop and that's it. I also know for a fact they mate cause her eggs are always fertilized and I've hatched some. He has never done the chicken dance or any mating ritual but they were raised together and he is the only roo kept with her and I hear that's common. Only thing he does is have a crowing contest with my other roo who is in a enclosure by him self. My other roo does the dance when he sees her from his pen and does that cluck cluck pick up food and drop in while he eats but my Roo that's in with my hen doesn't do it. My chickens get checked on every few hours every day and also many times a night. My kids check on them all the time and my chicken pens are like 15 feet from my bedroom window so I hear everything. Never do we see him mount her.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mating is quick so it's easy to miss. He also probably has some respect for you so he doesn't mate in your presence. I'm sure if you sat and watched for a while you would see it. A rooster needs to hold onto the neck feathers when mating, so he's just not as clumsy with that part. The other rooster is trying to woo the hen so he does the dance and calling.

 

[chickens really]

Consider yourself extremely LUCKY......You won the Rooster lottery!

Cheers to you and the Rooster!

 

[bobbi-j]

As Oldhen said, you're likely missing it because it's quick. He hops up, they touch vents, he get off, she shakes herself a little to send everything on its way and it's over. It will not happen at night, as chickens are inactive at night.

 

[BrandoMan]

Funny cause the next day after posting this I catch him trying to mount her.lol. I go out again right before dark to check on my chickens, then I walk go check on my sheep and goats in there fence and walking back from that I hear my hen squeaking and look and he on her back but jumps off when she squeaks. Then around 3am I hear my hen squeaking so I go out there about to kick some *** since I thought she was being attacked but when I go out there she was just looking out me and my Roo starting crowing and then of course my other roo gotta compete. So I figure he mounted her or atleast was trying. How long does mating take anyways? Like 5 Mina or what? Lol She got a clutch of ten eggs right now so hopefully she goes broody again real soon for more chicks. I got some chicks from them that are probably three weeks old Im thinking.

 

[Shezadandy]

It's a very short affair-- youtube has videos- it lasts seconds.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mating takes seconds, especially for an experienced rooster and when the sizes of the birds are compatible. My bantam roosters mating large breed hens can take longer because of the need to position themselves correctly.

 

[BrandoMan]

K. Yeah my Roo is quite a bit larger than my hen.