Please explain overbreeding to me.

[lazy gardener]

Curious, if you don't need them why keep all of them? Especially if they are harassing the females and causing all sorts of drama in the coop? Put some in the freezer or get rid of some/all.

What she said. IMO, no need to put up with roo drama if you don't NEED a roo.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I've not had rooster kill hens. I have read of bigger roosters accidentally breaking a hens neck during a vigorous mating.

What over-mating does is causes all kinds of stress to the hens, and pullets. They shouldn't be subjected to it. Some feather loss can happen over a season but it should take a long time. Wounds can happen if a roosters spurs or toenails need to be trimmed.

I definitely would remove all maturing roosters to a separate pen. The pullets or hens always come first here. Roosters don't get to enjoy and terrorize while the hens are living in fear or stressed repeatedly.

I agree remove those boys and decide what you are going to do with them. Most of all aren't needed in a flock.

 

[Rachael<3Chickies]

Cockerels can injure Pullets but not as common as your thinking....Keep one and separate the rest....Too much dráma for one Coop....

Curious, if you don't need them why keep all of them? Especially if they are harassing the females and causing all sorts of drama in the coop? Put some in the freezer or get rid of some/all.

I don't raise for production but as a hobby. I'm trying to navigate this because I enjoy having the boys around. Just don't want the hens suffering for it so I'm keeping an eye until I fix my ratio.

 

[Rachael<3Chickies]

I didn't mean to reply to chicken really. Oops. But I do appreciate your telling me it's not as common as I may be thinking.

 

[Rachael<3Chickies]

I've not had rooster kill hens. I have read of bigger roosters accidentally breaking a hens neck during a vigorous mating.

What over-mating does is causes all kinds of stress to the hens, and pullets. They shouldn't be subjected to it. Some feather loss can happen over a season but it should take a long time. Wounds can happen if a roosters spurs or toenails need to be trimmed.

I definitely would remove all maturing roosters to a separate pen. The pullets or hens always come first here. Roosters don't get to enjoy and terrorize while the hens are living in fear or stressed repeatedly.

I agree remove those boys and decide what you are going to do with them. Most of all aren't needed in a flock.

Thanks.

 

[Akrnaf2]

When you see 2 or 3 cockerels ganging up on the weakest pullet repeatedly, just for sport and dominance, you will understand how it can happen. One will pin her down, while the other two take turns mounting her. Often, one will be pinning, while an other one is mounting, and the other one is pecking at her head, waiting for his turn to get on top. This very reason is why it's recommended to place all cockerels in a grow out coop. Cockerels incite each other to aggressive behavior with the weakest members of the flock.

Exactly way you have to keep at least 8 hens to 1 rooster ratio! (1/10 is better )

 

[chickengeorgeto]

...The rooster dances for a specific hen. He lowers one wing and sort of circles her. This signals his intent.

The hen squats. This gets her body onto the ground so the rooster’s weight goes into the ground through her entire body and not just her legs. That way she can support a much heavier rooster without hurting her legs.

The rooster hops on and grabs the back of her head. The head grab helps him get in the right position to hit the target and helps him to keep his balance, but its major purpose is to tell the hen to raise her tail out of the way to expose the target. A mating will not be successful if she does not raise her tail and expose the target. The head grab is necessary...... The pullets understand the one on top is the dominant one but may not be to the point that they are willing to accept that dominance.

Sometimes over-mating can cause the pullet or hen to lose feathers on her back. It’s normal for a pullet or hen to occasionally lose a few feathers from mating.....

You'll understand better if you don't divert your eyes when a hen and rooster does the "nasty-nasty" in front of you. As a general rule the rooster stands on the hens' primary wing feather coverts, not on her back. This enables (IMHO) the rooster to better maintain his balance because he has a wider stance and a lower center of gravity. The rooster IMHO is the one who drew the short straw because roosters don't have a penis.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

When you see 2 or 3 cockerels ganging up on the weakest pullet repeatedly, just for sport and dominance, you will understand how it can happen. One will pin her down, while the other two take turns mounting her. Often, one will be pinning, while an other one is mounting, and the other one is pecking at her head, waiting for his turn to get on top. This very reason is why it's recommended to place all cockerels in a grow out coop. Cockerels incite each other to aggressive behavior with the weakest members of the flock.

If you will pay attention to the stags in your grow out pen, the whole shebangs will often use the lowest ranking cockerel for a girl friend. Normally it only requires one successful mating between this lowest ranking cockrel and a hen or pullet to convince the stag or cockrel that he is a rooster and thus encourage or make him stand up for himself.

 

[Rachael<3Chickies]

You'll understand better if you don't divert your eyes when a hen and rooster does the "nasty-nasty" in front of you. As a general rule the rooster stands on the hens' primary wing feather coverts, not on her back. This enables (IMHO) the rooster to better maintain his balance because he has a wider stance and a lower center of gravity. The rooster IMHO is the one who drew the short straw because roosters don't have a penis.

I will watch to make sure this is how it's going down.

 

[Rachael<3Chickies]

If you will pay attention to the stags in your grow out pen, the whole shebangs will often use the lowest ranking cockerel for a girl friend. Normally it only requires one successful mating between this lowest ranking cockrel and a hen or pullet to convince the stag or cockrel that he is a rooster and thus encourage or make him stand up for himself.

Hmmm.