When will he start doing his "manly" duties?

[Azriel]

So I have this huge beautiful black 1/2 English Orp boy. He hatched the end of May, so he is 6-7months old. When will he start showing some interest in the girls? He has started doing the treat call, and he has a big, loud cockadodool-do but hasn't started "entertaining" the ladys yet. I want to put him in a breeding pen with my best blue,black Orp girls, but with no "entertaining" I won't be getting any fertile eggs. (Any little blue pills for chickens?)

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

He should start mating anytime. Is he intimidated by another roo?

 

[kidcody]

Anytime! If he is with older hens he might have to do some convincing he is ready. Some older hens can really be hard on young roosters!

 

[BrattishTaz]

My orps have always been slower to mature than my others. My buff did not crow until he was 8 or 9 months old, he was not interested in hens at all until he was close to a year old. My two white orps are 9 months old now and have been crowing for a few months. They have just started "noticing" the girls.

 

[Darklingstorm]

My Jersey Giant is only 18 weeks old now and he has been trying to be "the man" for awhile now. He usually only gets a few feathers before he gets his butt kicked by the hen of interest. I don't know if his early interest is because he is the only male, there are older females or if its just the breed.

I can't wait for him to figure it out and do a proper job of it. So embarrassing watching him fail and then get chased all over the yard by a frustrated female.

 

[mnabity]

Any chance he has already started performing his 'duties' and you just haven't caught him yet?

My silkie roo just hit 6 months and I caught him in the act the other day. By his awkwardness I would say he hasn't been at it long. I've only had a few roos reach maturity but from my experience its been around 6 months for each one so I think yours should start any day now.

 

[Azriel]

I really don't think he has started looking as the girls as anything but just other chickens yet. He is in a mixed age flock and I've never seen any of the girls go after him. My EE roo is the head man, but they are the same age and I have never seen any confrontation between them. I'm not useing one of my pens, should I just move him and his girls in there and see what happens?

 

[Chick Charm]

I would give him so ladies without the presence of the EE roo. It sounds like he is #2 and this does have an effect on breeding. Put him with whom you want in a separate area/pen and see what happens.

 

[sourland]

A dominant rooster can actually suppress testosterone production in a subordinate. If you have the pen, I would suggest putting him and his hens in the separate area.