Rooster Overmating

[Hickory_Hills]

I have a couple roosters. One of them is harassing one of my hens. She is really stressed. I don’t want to cull the rooster. Can he be alone??

 

[Mrs. K]

Yes, he can.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Yes. How many roosters to hens do you have?

 

[Hickory_Hills]

Yes. How many roosters to hens do you have?

Two

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Two

How many hens?

 

[Mrs. K]

Maybe I am wrong - but do you really have very young birds? I see you are new to the site??

Cockerels and pullets are immature birds, where as hen and roosters are birds generally over 6 months of age. The reason I ask, is that very often cockerels mature faster than pullets, and are bigger and tend to bully the pullets. Sometimes it is not too bad, sometimes it gets ugly.

People who get chickens as pets struggle with the idea that some roosters do not turn out. They don't like the idea of culling roosters. And if you are just getting started, often times what seemed like more than enough room when they were darling chicks - is not quite enough room later on.

I maybe be entirely wrong, but more information would help us give you more successful advice. Please include the following:

• size in feet or meters of the coup and of the run, with a picture if possible
• number and age of birds, how many males and how many females
• feed

The biggest problem is space for most flocks.

Mrs K