Young serama hen doesn't mate

[Johnchickens2]

Hi! I have a flock of "regular" sized chickens (two breeds), and 4 month ago I've brought two serama chicks - a male and a female.
The female serama is 4.5 months old now - and today she laid her first egg!!! I was extremely surprised since I have always known that 6 months is the time.
Anyway, I have noticed that the serama rooster is intrested ONLY in the other big hens, and doesnt mate with her. And I assume that the regular sized roosters won't mate with such a small chicken...
It is important to state that she squats to me when I touch her or hold her.
The male serama doesnt seem to try mating with her, but does chase the big hens.

What can I do the make sure she mates with the rooster?? Is there any way to check that the egg she lays is fertilized?? I want her to incubate her own eggs. What can I do? Please, help!
Thank you!

 

[Tonyroo]

There both at sexual maturity.

Grab a plate, Crack the egg content on the plate. Check for this:

 

[BDutch]

Still don't see them mating at all. Any advice?

Please be more patient! Why the rush?.

Don’t wish for baby chicks late Summer or in Autumn, the chicks will have a more difficult start when its getting colder in the proces of maturing.
Now it’s more important to learn about the behaviour of your chickens now and what kind of problems chicken keepers deal with. (Imho)
Dealing with broodies and hatching is a second level in keeping chickens. Keeping chickens is not something I would recommend to someone who is impatient.

Next spring (April - May - June) your Serama’s are real adults and this is also a better time to hatch chicks. By that time you have plenty of time to read articles and experiences of other bantam keepers.

I’ll be happy to give you answers next spring season.

 

[Tonyroo]

You would need to keep the seramas in there own pen. So the rooster has no choice but to mate with her.

 

[WoDia]

Currently, I have (2) 6 1/2 month old Seramas on eggs, because they both went super broody a few weeks ago. My own rule is to not allow them to brood any earlier, because I want them to mature more first. I collected eggs daily, blocked off the appealing nesting spots, and didn’t allow brooding until they were a bit older. I would also caution against housing a Serama with standard breeds. A rooster or angry hen can easily kill a teeny bird (accidentally or not). My Seramas are always housed separately, but with some of my other bantams only (Mille Fleur d’Uccle, Porcelain d’Anvers, and Silkie bantams).

 

[LaFleche]

I wonder why you seem almost obsessed with forcing the matter.

Give them time in their own coop and pen, let them mature some more, then collect and store her eggs properly and leave up to 7 nest eggs in the nestbox to encourage broodiness.

If she gets broody and sits tight on the nest for three consecutive nights swap the nesteggs for the real ones.

 

[Tonyroo]

Well for what your talking about you would have to be there with them to witness them mating. Once the rooster mates with her it takes roughly 24 hours for the next egg to be fertilized. Don't use the first egg, instead Crack it open to check for a bullseyemark on the yolk. Use a magnifying glass to see.

 

[fluffycrow]

I'd toss the first two eggs after a successful mating. On that note though, I'd like to ask if you're thinking of hatching her eggs

 

[fluffycrow]

Ok. Btw, it is important to state that even if they (the serama hen and serama rooster) are not kept in the same pen, I see them together in the yard almost all of the time. Usually it's the hen that follows the male. BUT I never saw them mating and never saw the hen squatting for him / he dances to her.
But from what I describe, it can be assumed that they do mate if they spend most of the day together in the yard with the rest of the flock? Maybe I dont have to keep them in a sapareted pen? I just feel that he shows much more interest in the bigger hens.

Just keep them separated and have patience. You'll see a successful mount eventually

 

[Johnchickens2]

There both at sexual maturity.

Grab a plate, Crack the egg content on the plate. Check for this:

View attachment 3586739

Thank you!