Rooster mating with 4 month old pullet

[sbergstrom09]

Hi! My australorp rooster was trying to mate with my ~4 month old Starlight Green Egger. She’s still very tiny, just bigger than a pigeon I’d say. He’s a huge guy, almost closer to Jersey Giant size. Does this mean she’s close to laying or is he being too aggressive? My other hens run from him because my other rooster is the top dog. They both pull feathers when mating. The back of my girls necks are red and raw. They do have saddles too. I’m afraid he might hurt her or my other 4 month old Prairie Bluebell.

 

[aart]

Does this mean she’s close to laying or is he being too aggressive?

Aggression. 16 weeks is a bit early to be laying.
Check her pelvic points to see if she's getting close:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

My other hens run from him because my other rooster is the top dog. They both pull feathers when mating. The back of my girls necks are red and raw.

How many females in the flock?
How old, in weeks or months, are all your birds?
Multiple males often create a destructive competitive environment.
Might need to get rid of one or both males.

 

[DobieLover]

Hi! My australorp rooster was trying to mate with my ~4 month old Starlight Green Egger. She’s still very tiny, just bigger than a pigeon I’d say. He’s a huge guy, almost closer to Jersey Giant size. Does this mean she’s close to laying or is he being too aggressive? My other hens run from him because my other rooster is the top dog. They both pull feathers when mating. The back of my girls necks are red and raw. They do have saddles too. I’m afraid he might hurt her or my other 4 month old Prairie Bluebell.

He is probably just trying to claim her.

I would rehome him. You have described an intolerable situation for your pullets. You should have just one male and he should be kept from the girls until they start laying.

 

[sbergstrom09]

Aggression. 16 weeks is a bit early to be laying.
Check her pelvic points to see if she's getting close:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/


How many females in the flock?
How old, in weeks or months, are all your birds?
Multiple males often create a destructive competitive environment.
Might need to get rid of one or both males.

Total females with the 3 little ones is 8. Little ones are ~4 months, everyone else is 1 year 3 months. We’re trying to expand the number of females for the two roosters slowly as we build space. The original 7 hatched from eggs and grew up together. The roosters don’t fight that often, really small scuffles and it ends quickly. My other rooster is aggressive towards us, charging, spurring at times, biting when checking him for health concerns. I do want to keep a rooster for protection but my other one seems aggressive with mating (feathers missing from hens necks and tail area) so we have saddles on two hens right now.

 

[sbergstrom09]

He is probably just trying to claim her.

I would rehome him. You have described an intolerable situation for your pullets. You should have just one male and he should be kept from the girls until they start laying.

I thought about making a space in the coop for those girls until they’re a little bigger. They all roost together at night but they stay on the far right side away from the other ones. They don’t seem to be integrating into the flock yet, running away from the others, not eating when they eat.

 

[DobieLover]

They don’t seem to be integrating into the flock yet, running away from the others, not eating when they eat.

That's all normal behavior. Until they start to lay, they will remain a sub-flock.

 

[DobieLover]

Total females with the 3 little ones is 8.

The 4-month-olds are pullets and cockerels.

The roosters don’t fight that often, really small scuffles and it ends quickly.

This is always subject to change. Eventually, they will more than likely get into a bloody battle when the submissive wants to take over the flock.

I do want to keep a rooster for protection but my other one seems aggressive with mating (feathers missing from hens necks and tail area)

Roosters can do little to protect hens. They primarily stand guard, looking for threats and sending up alarm calls if they see anything that concerns them. Some will attack a hawk after it hits a bird on the ground but by then, the damage is done.
They primarily attack other roosters to defend their flock. Hence the conundrum of keeping two roosters in a single setup.

My other rooster is aggressive towards us, charging, spurring at times, biting when checking him for health concerns.

He needs to go. It doesn't seem that you are in a position to rehabilitate him. It is a LOT of work and a long learning curve to be successful with it IF you have the right rooster to work with. Some will never come around.

If the male that is being aggressive with mating is a cockerel, he needs to grow up a little and hone his mating skills. He's probably not being aggressive on purpose. If you want to keep the cockerel, just pen him within the flock so he can't get to them and let the pullets come into lay.

 

[sbergstrom09]

The 4-month-olds are pullets and cockerels.

This is always subject to change. Eventually, they will more than likely get into a bloody battle when the submissive wants to take over the flock.

Roosters can do little to protect hens. They primarily stand guard, looking for threats and sending up alarm calls if they see anything that concerns them. Some will attack a hawk after it hits a bird on the ground but by then, the damage is done.
They primarily attack other roosters to defend their flock. Hence the conundrum of keeping two roosters in a single setup.

He needs to go. It doesn't seem that you are in a position to rehabilitate him. It is a LOT of work and a long learning curve to be successful with it IF you have the right rooster to work with. Some will never come around.

If the male that is being aggressive with mating is a cockerel, he needs to grow up a little and hone his mating skills. He's probably not being aggressive on purpose. If you want to keep the cockerel, just pen him within the flock so he can't get to them and let the pullets come into lay.

All 3 of my 4 month old are pullets which is good I don’t need another rooster! I have a broody hen that I’m letting her hatch (if they hatch) a few eggs and if one is a rooster then I’ll have that guy take over and get rid of the other two if they don’t change by then