TattooedChicks
Songster
TLSS: why are my older cocks letting the youngest mate in front of them like it’s no big deal?
So I am very new to having male birds and have managed to get myself all wrapped up in these 3 very cute little Japanese bantams. 2 are 5 months old and have been raised together as day old chicks, the 3rd is freshly 4 months old and has been with the flock since he was a day old as well. I have a dozen pullets currently and plan on adding a few more, plus reducing a rooster when the time comes and I finally pick favorites.
My oldest two have been crowing for at least a month now, practicing their wing dances, tidbitting and the like for my pullets, mostly the older girls, all aged 4-5 months. They don’t fight each other beyond the rare neck feather tugging and are often together throughout the whole day. They also ignore most of the younger bird’s antics unless he attempts wing dancing too close around them, then he gets chased off.
Now my youngest cockerel has only sounded very weak crows the last day or two, but he has been the only male I’ve seen attempting to mount the pullets recently, who mostly beat the snot out of him in return until today when he managed to keep a very submissive and small Oegb from running away.
But my real question is why did the older, larger male just stand there a foot away and watch? I thought they’d certainly tear him a new one for that and I’d be cleaning blood off the coop walls. What gives??
Side note: Also, are the ladies who put up with this mounting behavior possibly be getting close to point of lay?
So I am very new to having male birds and have managed to get myself all wrapped up in these 3 very cute little Japanese bantams. 2 are 5 months old and have been raised together as day old chicks, the 3rd is freshly 4 months old and has been with the flock since he was a day old as well. I have a dozen pullets currently and plan on adding a few more, plus reducing a rooster when the time comes and I finally pick favorites.
My oldest two have been crowing for at least a month now, practicing their wing dances, tidbitting and the like for my pullets, mostly the older girls, all aged 4-5 months. They don’t fight each other beyond the rare neck feather tugging and are often together throughout the whole day. They also ignore most of the younger bird’s antics unless he attempts wing dancing too close around them, then he gets chased off.
Now my youngest cockerel has only sounded very weak crows the last day or two, but he has been the only male I’ve seen attempting to mount the pullets recently, who mostly beat the snot out of him in return until today when he managed to keep a very submissive and small Oegb from running away.
But my real question is why did the older, larger male just stand there a foot away and watch? I thought they’d certainly tear him a new one for that and I’d be cleaning blood off the coop walls. What gives??
Side note: Also, are the ladies who put up with this mounting behavior possibly be getting close to point of lay?
