7 Rooter and 4 hens - need advice on how to handle this

[Luv Ducks]

I've ordered sexed chicks for years and don't have a rooster in my flock. I had to order two in my last batch of pullet chicks. (My tractor supply didn't have any cockerels last fall)

That is a smart move. I always hope for just one more hen whenever I let any hatch out but my one hen throws off mostly males. I wasn't sure whose eggs were being hatched out since both of my hens were sitting on the nest starting out. The one that throws off mostly males is the one that flew out of the pen I had them in and the other had never hatched any out before so I was hope full. Drakes are just my luck. I should have known that when I raised 3 Sons and never had a daughter, lol.

 

[lifein1840]

Got them as 1 day old chicks at the beginning of March this year. They are a little over 4 months old now but have been crowing since less than 3mo old. The chickens were unsexed for the most part and I ended up with 7 roosters and 4 hens. Coop politics are a bit rough. Lots of rooster on rooster humping action as well as most of them (a gang of 5 guys primarely with one main leader) going after the girls whenever they jump down from the roosts in the run.

I'm concerned that the girls and 2 roosters that don't run with the gang are scared to come down to eat and drink since they are harassed when they do.

Additionally, just today I saw a bit of blood on the head of one of the girls. This is the first time blood has been drawn. I do not want to kill any of my chickens and I do have a lot of land. I'm looking for some advice on the best and quickest solution to this issue.

I could seperate them out into a batchelor flock (but I have concerns about 5 roosters together as well) and a girls flock with 2 of the roosters that are not harassing them. Or I was thinking I could go get 30 more hens from somewhere to fix the gender ratio - problem is I'd have to quarantine the new girls for 30 days and I have a problem now. Not sure what to do here, any advice welcome.

For reference I have 10 acres in the middle of no where so space isn't an issue, neither is getting a whole lot more chickens - its the 30 day quarantine thing that makes that not a quick solution.

I do let them all free range most days, but even with the run open most of the girls will not come down.

Put them on Craig's List, free or less than $10 and send them to a new home. They will only hurt your hens and become worse. Or, you know the alternative....

 

[lifein1840]

Thanks for all the feedback, yeah I suspect its the lead rooster that drew blood but god knows. So, is the concensus to remove ALL the roosters from the hens until they start laying and then reintroduce one rooster? Or do you think it would be ok to have 1 or 2 (so far not causing issues) roosters in with the 4 girls and seperate out the other 5 Roosters into a batchelor flock?

I think you need to have 8-12 hens per rooster, singular. Once the alpha roosters are gone, your "calm" roosters will battle it out and the 4 little hens will get the bad end of the deal most likely.

 

[McChooky]

One of my cockerels started crowing 2 weeks ago and harassing my pullets so I moved both of them out before it got worse. For now they're in separate cages until I can gradually release them into my flock of 5 older hens(3 older pullets)I'm hoping cutting their flight feathers will keep them in the yard.They have lots of room and hiding places but aren't familiar with it all yet.

 

[McChooky]

1-3 Cockerels could stay in a chicken tractor this size.

 

[Jeri B]

…and if you don't want my current headache: BUY SEXED CHICKS!

I added a couple of hens to my flock a couple of weeks ago. Brought them home one evening, they laid eggs the next morning. Not much chance of a rooster when you buy them at point-of-lay.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

1-3 Cockerels could stay in a chicken tractor this size.

I wouldn’t advise that. While it’s working for you, that doesn’t mean putting three cockerels in that amount of space is going to work for anyone else.

 

[McChooky]

I wouldn’t advise that. While it’s working for you, that doesn’t mean putting three cockerels in that amount of space is going to work for anyone else.

Yes you are correct! My cockerels stay in the main run in separate cages at night until I release the main flock to free range around 8-10 am. They were only separated from the pullets this week to prevent abuse but the tractor isn't their permanent home. Bachelor pads with mature roosters require more room than a coop housing a rooster and hens

 

[The Backyard Chicken Lady]

Got them as 1 day old chicks at the beginning of March this year. They are a little over 4 months old now but have been crowing since less than 3mo old. The chickens were unsexed for the most part and I ended up with 7 roosters and 4 hens. Coop politics are a bit rough. Lots of rooster on rooster humping action as well as most of them (a gang of 5 guys primarely with one main leader) going after the girls whenever they jump down from the roosts in the run.

I'm concerned that the girls and 2 roosters that don't run with the gang are scared to come down to eat and drink since they are harassed when they do.

Additionally, just today I saw a bit of blood on the head of one of the girls. This is the first time blood has been drawn. I do not want to kill any of my chickens and I do have a lot of land. I'm looking for some advice on the best and quickest solution to this issue.

I could seperate them out into a batchelor flock (but I have concerns about 5 roosters together as well) and a girls flock with 2 of the roosters that are not harassing them. Or I was thinking I could go get 30 more hens from somewhere to fix the gender ratio - problem is I'd have to quarantine the new girls for 30 days and I have a problem now. Not sure what to do here, any advice welcome.

For reference I have 10 acres in the middle of no where so space isn't an issue, neither is getting a whole lot more chickens - its the 30 day quarantine thing that makes that not a quick solution.

I do let them all free range most days, but even with the run open most of the girls will not come down.

You definitely need to get rid of all
except one rooster. Otherwise they will end up killing the hens, while making their lives miserable in the meanwhile. It’s part of being a good chicken “Mom.”

 

[jpalmatier83]

You definitely need to get rid of all
except one rooster. Otherwise they will end up killing the hens, while making their lives miserable in the meanwhile. It’s part of being a good chicken “Mom.”

Guessing you haven’t been following the thread in its entirety?