Why do my roosters only mate with certain hens?

[BlueTheBrahma]

I currently have 11 hens with two roosters. I don’t care for the eggs being fertilised, but have noticed that one rooster will only mate with my two ISA browns, despite having four Lohmanns, as well as three brahmas and a bluebell who are much larger than my main layers. My largest brahma rooster mates with my older brahma, the lohmanns and the ISAs, but still not the other brahmas or bluebell. One ISA has damage to her wing feathers, while she is molting, there are clear patches where the roosters mount her. I’m going to get a chicken apron, but would like them to start mating with the hens who are larger, as I’d expect it to be more suitable. The younger brahmas are 6 months, but the bluebell and older brahma are over a year old, so why aren’t the roosters mating with them?
Is it a problem for such large roosters to mate with smaller laying hens, or is this just to be expected from sexual dimorphism?

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

I can count, I also have an Easter egger who is quite small, so not really much better to be mated with (but still larger than my lohmann browns).

 

[Thunder344]

Some roosters have favorite hens. It could be that your roosters have favorite hens and won't mate with the girls who aren't their favorite.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Some roosters have favorite hens. It could be that your roosters have favorite hens and won't mate with the girls who aren't their favorite.

Thanks, it does really seem that way, as well as one ISA being much more willing

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Leave. it to a male to pick the. younger ones.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Leave. it to a male to pick the. younger ones.

But that’s the thing, one won’t mate with the younger ones and both prefer my little old ISA browns!

 

[All4Eggz]

I agree. Roosters usually have favorites. I once saw my BIGGEST rooster mount my SMALLEST hen.. it was horrifying, to say the least. She almost died
It's normal that they choose the smaller ones, or sometimes bigger ones. But beware, sometimes injuries are caused from this

 

[aart]

Is it a problem for such large roosters to mate with smaller laying hens

Not if they both have good technique.
That's why a female squats when the male mounts her, to help take the weight on her back.

I don’t care for the eggs being fertilised

Then why do you have any males, let alone 2?

 

[LaFleche]

From my observations in my own flock I can tell that mature roosters usually love to mate with the most fertile hens, no matter their age.

Immature cockerels love to chase the rather defenseless pullets down and force themselves on them.

When there are actively laying hens to mate with, a mature rooster would not bother with those that actually don't lay (molt, too young, sickly or just taking a break).

 

[raingarden]

Here's some poultry trivia.....

I read that polish chickens prefer to mate with other polish chickens over any other variety.