Will he learn?

boyswillbeboys

Songster
6 Years
Apr 19, 2013
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Based on looks I really wanted to keep one of my young EE cockerels, however I've been watching, and he's started trying to mate (he's 13 weeks old) the hens, if a leghorn will sit still for him hens got the motions down, until the big roo sees.
Today he tried to mate a Pullet who isn't at POL yet, she's also 13 weeks, she was screaming and trying to get away, and he wouldn't let go of her feathers until he saw the big roo coming, not even my coming over stopped him. Will he learn manners or is this something he's going to keep doing, and therefore I need to put him on the cull list?
 
A lot of the boorish behavior of young cockerels is due to the surge of hormones. Like teenage boys, it makes them somewhat crazy with lust.

The hormones tend to quiet down around the end of the first year. by age two, a roo has learned manners and self control, a lot of that being communicated to them by the older hens in the flock.

As a rule, if they are mounting a pullet, it means she is very close to point of lay.
 
I have a similar question. Have 4 chicks, 11 weeks old approx. I am getting mixed opinions on whether the slw and one of the light Sussex are boys or girls. Today I have noticed both of them charging at each other and bullying the other two a bit. Also my son said he saw the slw on the buff chicks back today. I think both of them have been trying to get on someone's back today, they're flying around after the two girls all day but not landing anywhere successful except that once. Can't have two Roos as only have 7 altogether. Probably can't even have 1 with that number? Do those behaviours mean they're both definitely Roos? Do Roos start that young on the hens? Pictures below, as they have gotten older some have reckoned their more likely to be pullets, but after the last two days I'm unsure again.

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The SLW has a good chance of being a cockerel. Pullets don't usually get such deep coloring until later. The Sussex, I'm not familiar with enough to venture a guess.

Hormones aren't apparent yet, though, so any mounting is strictly aggression, which boys do tend to engage in somewhat more than girls.
 
The SLW has a good chance of being a cockerel. Pullets don't usually get such deep coloring until later. The Sussex, I'm not familiar with enough to venture a guess.

Hormones aren't apparent yet, though, so any mounting is strictly aggression, which boys do tend to engage in somewhat more than girls.


Thanks for the advice. Am I right in thinking 6 hens won't be enough for a roo, probably going to be 5 hens if the Sussex turns out to be a roo too. Should I separate the two boys if it's aggression, like you say? Seems to only happen when they're first let out into the big girls pen when they're out ranging, then they settle after a while. Or should I leave them to it. Also, are the old enough to introduce to the three older girls when free ranging yet?
 
Ah that's great, I'm quite fond of them. Hopefully there's just one so, otherwise I'll have to choose. I haven't had a roo before, but hear lots of horror stories, are they all difficult or is it more to do with personality or age etc. I have kids to think about, the little fella loves being out with the chucks. Can you shed any light on the light Sussex gender below

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SLWs mature quicker than most breeds so it's not too hard to judge gender. But most other breeds, the sex isn't apparent until around 16 or seventeen weeks at the earliest.

But if you're kind of thinking one of the Sussex is a boy and the other a girl, then compare them. Are the legs longer and thicker on the one you think may be a boy? Are the neck feathers more narrow and pointed on the "boy"? Look up pictures of a mature Light Sussex rooster and pay attention to the color of the saddle feathers. Then take your "boy" and part the feathers on his back down close to the tail and see if you see those colored pin feathers beginning to emerge. I haven't had time to look it up myself, but I assume Sussex roos have different colored feathers on their backs like most roos.

And watch for their combs to turn red before the girls'.

Don't worry about the play aggression you're seeing. It's harmless. And many roos raised together get along just fine. By the time they're six or seven months old, you'll know if they are determined to kill each other or live peaceably. I would relax in the meantime and enjoy what's left of their chick-hood.
 
That's brilliant, thanks for that. They do seem yo get on most of the time. I suppose it's a bit like dog playing then. I'll do that and try investigate the light Sussex a bit more. Good to know

SLWs mature quicker than most breeds so it's not too hard to judge gender. But most other breeds, the sex isn't apparent until around 16 or seventeen weeks at the earliest.

But if you're kind of thinking one of the Sussex is a boy and the other a girl, then compare them. Are the legs longer and thicker on the one you think may be a boy? Are the neck feathers more narrow and pointed on the "boy"? Look up pictures of a mature Light Sussex rooster and pay attention to the color of the saddle feathers. Then take your "boy" and part the feathers on his back down close to the tail and see if you see those colored pin feathers beginning to emerge. I haven't had time to look it up myself, but I assume Sussex roos have different colored feathers on their backs like most roos.

And watch for their combs to turn red before the girls'.

Don't worry about the play aggression you're seeing. It's harmless. And many roos raised together get along just fine. By the time they're six or seven months old, you'll know if they are determined to kill each other or live peaceably. I would relax in the meantime and enjoy what's left of their chick-hood.
 

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