Chicken Mating Information
Find out here, how chickens mate, mating rituals,watch video of chickens mating, and more.
Basic Chicken Mating Information
As a general rule it is a good idea to keep 6-12 hens per rooster. Mating is a natural instinct and no prodding is needed. Simply, choose the breeds you want to mate and put them in a pen together.
The rooster will go through a courting ritual by circling the hen, lowering his wing, and pointing out little tidbits of food to the hens by chirping, picking up the food and dropping it to charm the hen into taking the 'bait'.
If the hen takes the bait, she will usually make the rooster chase her and then squat allowing the rooster to mount.
The rooster will quickly grab the back of the hens neck or head and mount her. It is a very quick process. When he is finished he will crow proudly announcing his victory.
The mounted hen will usually get up and shake her feathers and walk away.
Place a nest box or dog house in the pen. The rooster will sit in the nesting material and shape the bedding for the hen, in an effort to prepare her nest for her.
Leave the male and females together. The hens will gather up a brood of eggs over a period of weeks. The hens will start going broody.
The rooster will go through a courting ritual by circling the hen, lowering his wing, and pointing out little tidbits of food to the hens by chirping, picking up the food and dropping it to charm the hen into taking the 'bait'.
If the hen takes the bait, she will usually make the rooster chase her and then squat allowing the rooster to mount.
The rooster will quickly grab the back of the hens neck or head and mount her. It is a very quick process. When he is finished he will crow proudly announcing his victory.
The mounted hen will usually get up and shake her feathers and walk away.
Place a nest box or dog house in the pen. The rooster will sit in the nesting material and shape the bedding for the hen, in an effort to prepare her nest for her.
Leave the male and females together. The hens will gather up a brood of eggs over a period of weeks. The hens will start going broody.
Watch Video of Chickens Mating
Sometimes Roosters will sit on the Eggs
Occasionally roosters will sit on the eggs to keep them warm until the hen goes broody.
Leaving the Chicken Family Together
It is best to leave the family together until after the chicks are born. Once hatched it is a good idea to watch the rooster for a few day.
Most roosters will take on their new family and become somewhat aggressive toward anybody that approaches his family. However, after the baby chicks start to mature the rooster may become aggressive and kill the male chicks.
On rare occasions the rooster may not like one or more of the chicks. This usually means that these outcast chicks are roosters. The rooster will sometimes kill a male chick, as a part of his natural instinct to be the only male for his hens. He knows if he lets the male chick live that it will grow up and compete with him for the hens.
If the rooster becomes aggressive toward baby chicks, it is best to separate him from his hen and chicks but allow him to be close enough to see them. One way we have used to do this is to keep the hen and chicks in a separate pen very close to the rooster and his other hens because this way the other hens and the rooster can see the new arrivals but do not have access to them so they can grow accustomed to the new family members.
Most roosters will take on their new family and become somewhat aggressive toward anybody that approaches his family. However, after the baby chicks start to mature the rooster may become aggressive and kill the male chicks.
On rare occasions the rooster may not like one or more of the chicks. This usually means that these outcast chicks are roosters. The rooster will sometimes kill a male chick, as a part of his natural instinct to be the only male for his hens. He knows if he lets the male chick live that it will grow up and compete with him for the hens.
If the rooster becomes aggressive toward baby chicks, it is best to separate him from his hen and chicks but allow him to be close enough to see them. One way we have used to do this is to keep the hen and chicks in a separate pen very close to the rooster and his other hens because this way the other hens and the rooster can see the new arrivals but do not have access to them so they can grow accustomed to the new family members.
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See more about chicken behaviors here: Things Chickens Do
