Social status and sex ration effects on mating frequency of cockerels

Cockerels of 3 early- and 3 late-maturing strains of White Leghorns were observed for agonistic and mating behavior while housed with pullets in floor pens. All male strains were equally represented in each of 6 flocks; replicated flocks contained 6, 12, or 18 males with male:female rations of 1:24, 1:12, or 1:8, respectively. Differences associated with selection for early or late sexual maturity were not detected for either social status or mating frequency. Contrary to expectation, social status of cockerels had little effect on frequency of mating. Flocks with fewer males had lower fertility, but sex ratios (in the range used) had no effect on frequency of mating of individual males. Implications of these results are discussed.