will my cockerel get more gentle at mating?

[Dhkoenig]

Hi All This is my second accidental rooster. My first one was really rough on the hens and constantly. It was obvious that I had to get rid of him and luckily I have a farm not to far away who will take them. This latest one is now 4+ months old and has been jumping on the hens to mate for a few weeks now - maybe three weeks? My favorite hen is scared of him and stressed out. She hides and it also seems like some of the other more docile hens are scared of him. He is not aggressive at all to humans. He just sits there and checks us out when we go down there and sizes us up but is very non aggressive. Here is the question. As he matures will he get more gentle with mating? Like will he figure out how to get them to mate with him without jumping their bones in an unwelcome way? I was going to take him to the farm today but I feel so badly. He is a nice enough fellow but I also have to look out for my girls.

 

[sourland]

Try separating him from the flock for several months. Right now he is hormone driven teenager. As he matures he MAY settle down.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

As he matures will he get more gentle with mating? Like will he figure out how to get them to mate with him without jumping their bones in an unwelcome way?

Maybe... eventually... Yes, usually... Not any time soon.

How long can you wait?

Hiding ladies is a problem for me.. I just separated my two boys (also cockerels) to a stag pen since they weren't yet willing to accept that no means no and work for their acceptance (treat calling, wing shuffle dance, serenade, etc).. the ladies that were hiding.. no longer are. We can try again.. once they have some maturity and hopefully a little less raging hormones. I've been a teenager before and raised a couple human ones so know it can be rough at times. Breed has some influence but rather individual demeanor has a lot to do with it. A time out kennel or even a stag tie out cable would be considered if I wanted to keep him with the ladies in a more subdued fashion. (Some have just hobbled their legs together to slow them down). Safety first, for him as well.

4 ish months is probably too soon to tell true long term human directed behavior, hormones are barely kicking in.. but confidence is still building (or something like that). Their still assessing your threat level and role, etc.

I have a reason to keep roosters, it's part of my goal. Someone else's mistake doesn't give me a reason or mean my ladies gotta pay the price or I should feel bad about keeping the peace at my place.. whatever that may be. I am responsible to my mental health.. and if my favorite hen is tormented daily then so am I. That being said, happy accidents can happen. Some of those things turn out to be unexpected adventures, love, etc. Maturity does make a huge difference in my experience.. cockerel and rooster are two entirely separate beasts.. the value of a good mature rooster being such that I never keep less than two, if possible.

I can't save them all.. but I can make damn sure the ones in my care live their best lives daily.. even if that means some have one bad day. The approach is hard.. but the regret is only ever not doing it sooner!

As a meat eater (partly anyways currently).. I think all the animals gracing my plate were probably "nice fellas". It's amazing how far removed from it we are.

Best wishes solving for peace for your flock and for yourself!

 

[Morrigan]

Trying to predict how a young cockerel will grow out is very challenging, at least it is for me. The extreme cases are pretty easy to spot, but there is a lot of room for in between. I've had cockerels who greatly improved with the hens as they matured. I've also had cockerels whose poor mating technique never got good enough. I culled those boys.

Like @EggSighted4Life, I have a stag pen. I've put randy young cockerels in there that I hoped to breed, but could see that they presently were too hard on my hens.

I don't use the stage pen a lot. Mainly because my overarching philosophy is not to have a flock that requires a lot of micromanagement. If hens are hiding and a young cockerel is being too rough, I usually eliminate that cockerel and try again with a different one.

Your situation sounds like it might be different. You want to keep a cockerel because you accidentally have him, not because you wanted a rooster in your flock. If you are reluctant to cull, then a stag pen would be your best option. Keep him separate but in visual contact with the flock. I would try letting him have short "let's see" interactions with the hens from time to time. The short winter days in December are a good time for this as hormones seem to ebb that time of year.

If it improves enough to where the hens accept him, great. If not, or if you don't want the hassle of setting up a stag pen, I would cull now -- either by re-homing or butchering. If you really don't want or need a rooster, an all-hen flock is a lot less stressful.

 

[Dhkoenig]

Try separating him from the flock for several months. Right now he is hormone driven teenager. As he matures he MAY settle down.

that's not cruel to keep him just by himself for several months?

 

[chrissynemetz]

that's not cruel to keep him just by himself for several months?

Can you separate him in a way where he can still see the flock but not reach them?

 

[Bigbluefrog]

I have the same issue. A 6 month old Americana rooster chasing the hens, ripping up their combs. Several hens won't leave the coop. I know this an older post....curious what happened to the wild roo?

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Hi All This is my second accidental rooster. My first one was really rough on the hens and constantly. It was obvious that I had to get rid of him and luckily I have a farm not to far away who will take them. This latest one is now 4+ months old and has been jumping on the hens to mate for a few weeks now - maybe three weeks? My favorite hen is scared of him and stressed out. She hides and it also seems like some of the other more docile hens are scared of him. He is not aggressive at all to humans. He just sits there and checks us out when we go down there and sizes us up but is very non aggressive. Here is the question. As he matures will he get more gentle with mating? Like will he figure out how to get them to mate with him without jumping their bones in an unwelcome way? I was going to take him to the farm today but I feel so badly. He is a nice enough fellow but I also have to look out for my girls.

So what happened? Did the roo settle down?