How many roosters can be in a flock?

[Mrs. K]

Culling just means removing them from the flock, how you do it, is up to you. My point is that adult intact males often cannot live together in a flock. The hormones drives them to try and be the top bird, and they will fight sometimes once and sort it out, sometimes often, and sometimes to death. That is a fact of rooster behavior. It is not pretty, as you have begun to notice, and it will most likely get worse.

Somehow, your decision depending on what you can tolerate, you will need to separate most of these birds away from each other. Sometimes even a fence is not enough, I have heard stories where they fight through the fence.

Personally, I don't like that much violence.

Mrs K

 

[HeatherTheMommy]

Ok thank you. I thought culling always meant to kill.
Im sorry. Im so torn i don't know which rooster to keep. I know the frizzle will be a roo. His wattles and comb are already red and the crest on my polish is also looking roo like. Im also questioning sme of my ees . Im sad because i dont know who to eep i love the frizzle and the polish.

 

[EmilyP]

Our neighbor had two roosters and the one killed the other

. We don't know if we have 0, 1 or 2 roos yet but we are concerned the neighbor's rooster may come try to show his dominance to our flock when they get outside. Just make sure to watch them carefully as much as you can.

 

[HeatherTheMommy]

I was told all of my EEs were girls but im sceptical of them. I want the polish to be a hen so badly but the crest and stance don't show much promise

 

[keesmom]

Multiple males may get along, They may not. It depends on the flock dynamics.

I know they seem cute, fluffy and sweet now but that's subject to change. Some cockerels turn into complete buttheads when they hit the teenage stage. They may not only be aggressive to each other, but to you.

 

[bobbi-j]

Our neighbor had two roosters and the one killed the other  .  We don't know if we have 0, 1 or 2 roos yet but we are concerned the neighbor's rooster may come try to show his dominance to our flock when they get outside.  Just make sure to watch them carefully as much as you can.

Why is your neighbor's rooster coming onto your property?

 

[EmilyP]

Why is your neighbor's rooster coming onto your property?

He hasn't but their chickens are free range, ours are going to be free range as well.

 

[microchick]

I agree with ol grey mare. The dynamics of every flock is different. With my flock, the alpha and beta rooster will not let any other junior roosters near the hens. I have four young cockerels to deal with from a recent broody hatch and they will eventually be removed from the mix and placed in a bachelor pen with the two junior roosters from the main flock.

My main problem is keeping the alpha rooster's spurs trimmed so they stop ripping out the hens feathers. I've always liked two roosters with my hens, one alpha and a beta just to double up the protection. Plus the alpha in my flock generally doesn't let the beta cockerel mate unless the beta gets sneaky about it.

If I had any less than 12 hens though (right now I have 16), there wouldn't be any junior roosters around at all.

 

[yochickiemomma]

I think your neighbor needs to keep his rooster in his own yard.I don't know the laws where you live but around here we dispatch animals domestic or wild that are a danger to our own. That being said Id suggest you talk to your neighbor first about the situation.

 

[bobbi-j]

If it's a concern, you may want to figure out a way to keep them separated - that may mean fence between the two yards or containing your birds in a run.