rooster only mating with one hen

[helen33]

I have 1 rooster and 4 hens. He only seems to be mating with one hen. She's the only one missing neck feathers. Does anybody know why he would only be mating with one hen?

 

[KaylorFarms]

I think maybe the other hens won't let him mate them.

 

[azygous]

How old is your rooster? Are the hens much older than he is?

Roosters do tend to have favorites. But some hens won't let a rooster mate them. You may be missing the action since it's over in seconds. It is also sufficient for almost three weeks of fertilizing a hens eggs following a single mating.

You can check your yolks to see if they've been fertilized. Look for a small, white "bulls eye" on the yolk. http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/01/how-to-tell-if-your-chicken-eggs-are.html

 

[RedDrgn]

Sounds like he may be overmating with his favorite hen rather than not mating at all with the others. Roos do tend to play favorites, and it can lead to feather loss or damage for the favorite hen. Keep an eye on the bald spot to be sure no injury occurs, and if it should, be sure to treat it immediately.

 

[helen33]

He's the same age as the rest of them. Except one hen is older than the others but shes not the one he's mating with. Ya I may just not be seeing it. It's just all the other hens look like they have never been touched

 

[chicklets81]

I have a similar issue. I have just 1 roo in my flock of 11 hens right now, and he is a bantam cochin. I brought him home with other bantam cochin girls, and he will only mate with his own cochin hen, and 1 other smaller ameraucana mix hen, but that's it. Anytime he tries to get close to the regular LF hens, they peck at him and won't let him mate. So, I have a smilar situation. I am introducing a larger roo to my flock this spring and getting some more bantam cochin hens and other larger hends to even out the numbers.

 

[TT4059]

I have the same problem. 1 roo, 3 hens. All bantams but one he grew up with from an egg (not even the same breed but were raised together) (31 weeks old), he only mates with her. I bought 2 others 2 months (23 weeks now) younger, one is a Silkie like him, other also a small bantam. Will he ever mate with the other 2? Their babies would be cute and the one poor hens feathers are getting pulled out. Not bad yet but I don’t want her hurt :/