Will my bantam cochin roo mate with regular size hens?

[chicklets81]

When I added my cochins last spring to my regular size flock, I didn't realize they were bantams. I brought home 4 straight run, 3 were hens and 1 a roo, and added them to my 3 month older hens. I have since lost 2 of those cochin hens, so I'm left with only 1 cochin hen and 1 roo.

So, the only roo I have, is a small bantam, and 7 out of 10 hens being full size.


I'd like to be able to have most of my eggs be fertile.

Does anyone know if a small bantam roo will mate with a large, hen like a black astrolorp? Honestly, hes tiny, maybe 3 times as small as one of my huge astrolorps, and they will peck at him, to tell him to get away.

I've never seen him attempt to mate with them, nor have they "submitted" to him.

Will larger hens not let him mate?

If not, I might need to find a larger breed roo to take on the larger hens.

Any thoughts?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My bantam cochins have no troubles breeding my large hens, they probably do it too much. All have figured out how to get it done, and are for the most part attentive roosters.

 

[chicklets81]

I actually noticed a regular size hen "pecking" at the roo the other day, which might mean "don't you dare try and mate with me"

So I'm not surprised that I haven't seen him mate at all with any regular sized hens. Either hes not mating with the larger ones, or doing it in secrecy.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some bantam cochin roosters are more meek. He may be fine just mating the bantam and hasn't tried to mate or dominate the big hens. Mine that do mate larger hens are quite forward.