[mamashango184]

I have had my ex bat girls for over a year now, and I bought a trio of barnevelders a few months back.  At first the ex bats made a lot of fuss and the three barnies (two females, one rooster, aged 12 weeks back then) would run away from them.  They get on much better and both tribes keep themselves to themselves.  Anyway my questions are......

Will my rooster eventually toughen up and sort out all the ladies or will he always be a wimp and run away from the ex bats when they chase him?

My rooster is now 18 weeks old and has never crowed, not like im complaing but is this normal? 

We got the trio as my husband wanted to try his hand at breeding chickens and maybe having some birds for the table.  My rooster is has never showed any sign of treading anyone or even doing the odd left wing display.  Is there a particular time of year when he is more likely to tread the girls?

Will he ever mate with our ex bats?

They are all garden hens. the barnies have their own coop but occasionally an ex bat or two will jump in with the rooster and cuddle up with him during the night, but once day breaks, they ex bats are back at chasing him away, i feel sorry on him, he is such a lovely looking bird, is there any hope of him fathering chicks, or is this maybe the first gay chicken?  Any suggestions or info most welcome.........

[Foxy]

It sounds like your boy is still a bit young to assert himself, the fact that he is not crowing demonstrates this. I am sure that once the days start to lengthen, you will see an entirely new side to him!

[mamashango184]

Thanks very much for your reply.  Will wait and see.

[too many girls]

once he matures the ex batts will be running away from him

[mamashango184]

Hi there, just thought i would update, my lovely rooster Ozzy is now loved up with his hens includng the x batts. They adore him back, and love to cosy up to him in the hen house.  He has started crowing, he does it about 7 times when I let him out the coop in the morning, then is quiet the rest of the day. The neighbourhood i live in loves hearing him crow and the school children love to say hello to him in the morning and hear him crow.

[karlooben]

wow did i read that right that ppl love hearing him crow your lucky most ppl would kill for blood if they heard a cockerel  which is why i cant have one  around here i would not live for long .

[IMOmimey]

oh dear..I feel myself climbing on my soapbox again......hold me down....too late... why breed cross breeds? stick with hatching pure bred chix, the barnies sound lovely. Dont try and hatch from ex batts, their chix are likely to be poor quality, as they are hybrids already, may be infertile and never lay you an egg, likely to be weak as the ex batts have had a hard year, so depleted..... oh has hauled me off my box..you get my drift.


 :blush:sorry

[Foxy]

oh dear..I feel myself climbing on my soapbox again......hold me down....too late... why breed cross breeds? stick with hatching pure bred chix, the barnies sound lovely. Dont try and hatch from ex batts, their chix are likely to be poor quality, as they are hybrids already, may be infertile and never lay you an egg, likely to be weak as the ex batts have had a hard year, so depleted..... oh has hauled me off my box..you get my drift.


 :blush:sorry

Agree with you completely,IMOminey it is important to keep breeds pure and really it is best to breed from the healthiest boys and older hens only which follow the breed standard. :happy:

[mamashango184]

I think i have maybe written my post wrong, i dont intend to breed and hatch eggs with my ex batts, as i have two inrelated barnivelder  hens ( Astrid and Gretchen)which i purchased with my roosters for that job.  Sorry to ruffle feathers.

[GrannieAnnie]

I don't think anyone's post was meant to be demeaning Mumashango, but it did seem like you are going to let your rooster mate with all your birds.

This is okay if their Barny eggs are different colours to the ex batt ones.  You just don't incubate the ex batt eggs.  However, really it wold be best if the bary trio had their part of the run separate from teh ex batts.  That way you will be sure your chicks are pure barny.