Rooster Chat

[MistyMudd]

I need some advice. This is my first time raising chickens. I have 5 Rhode Island Reds - 3 males and 2 females (between 4 & 5 months old). I have been trying to rehome 2 of the males before they get to mating age with no luck. They are free range during the day and at night they are all together in the chicken house. My husband has given me two options. Send them to a farm where I know they will be eaten or send them to a farm where they will be free range 24/7 and likely be eaten by a predator. I don't want anything bad to happen to them but I feel like I'm running out of time. They've been together since they were a week old and stay together while they free range. Is it possible for them to all live together with no problems or do I have to get rid of 2 of the males?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I need some advice. This is my first time raising chickens. I have 5 Rhode Island Reds - 3 males and 2 females (between 4 & 5 months old). I have been trying to rehome 2 of the males before they get to mating age with no luck. They are free range during the day and at night they are all together in the chicken house. My husband has given me two options. Send them to a farm where I know they will be eaten or send them to a farm where they will be free range 24/7 and likely be eaten by a predator. I don't want anything bad to happen to them but I feel like I'm running out of time. They've been together since they were a week old and stay together while they free range. Is it possible for them to all live together with no problems or do I have to get rid of 2 of the males?

They are still young. RIR tend to mature more slowly so your boys haven't started making troubles. Sometimes young rooster in a gang will mate hens one after another, especially if they are close. You will know when your hens start screaming and hiding in the coop that it's time to remove at least two and possibly all three unless you plan to get more hens.

My chickens free range all day, it doesn't necessarily mean they will be gotten by predators. I haven't had a loss in a few years.

 

[the poppster]

I eliminated 8 young Roosters this spring when they started to pester the hens. I calmly caught each one with the least amount of fuss...no talking....very matter of fact. Gently deposited each one in its own white feed sack....twisted the top and wrapped a thick rubber band to hold it shut. Then set them all in the grass under a shady tree away from the rest of the flock. About a half hour later we did them in you could get a hold of the legs thru the bag and then pull the bag off. Into the cone and dispatched....and processed quickly and quietly. The change in the flock was immediate....the stress level went from high to almost nothing....with the elimination of those birds. Will do it again if things get stressed due to out of control youngsters that I don't need. Matter of fact I have a few that are causing trouble right now....next chance I get they will be sent to freezer camp.

 

[cabinchicky]

Current count 3 roosters, one cockerel. All have their own girls. LF rooster with a bantam rooster and then their girls in each coop. Not sure if I have a male yet in JG hatch I had.

 

[microchick]

I finished my bachelor pen today. It is currently being inhabited by 4 roosters. I was worried about how they would act with one another and with me coming and going in the pen to do finish work on the fence and coop. The two youngsters are still picking at one another but the two adult roosters are noticeably quieter. They can still see the hens. Can't be helped, but I think they have come to realize that they are on one side of the fence and the hens are on the other and not much can be done about it.

I'm glad I decided to separate the extra roosters from the main flock. Things are much less stressed and my LO rooster is shaping up into being a good flock master. 4 young BO cockerels are still with the flock. One is becoming a mirror image of his dad, my sweet rooster Red, who died last weekend. I've named him Junior. There is still some bickering going on between the hens and the young cockerels. Only Junior has showed an interest in the girls. He tried to cover a Welly hen last night and fell off of her.

Then she pecked him. Hard to look cocky after that.

I'd like to keep him and another young cockerel with the girls. Two will join the bachelors once they mature enough to hold their own with the bigger roosters. I wish I had done this last year, it would have saved me a lot of hassle. I don't eat my birds. Not unless the you know what hits the fan and we are starving. The roosters will earn their keep one way or another. If not by free ranging the garden and chasing down grasshoppers then they will by making us laugh on occasion. Then there is the chick factor.

Of course, they have to figure out how to get over that fence for that to happen.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Why am I always the one to end up wth roosters?

I left for a week.My grandparents took care of everyone.

When I returned the chicks were larger.And they have combs and waddles,and they are DEEP red......Pretty for sure all 3 are roosters.

 

[microchick]

Why am I always the one to end up wth roosters?

I left for a week.My grandparents took care of everyone.

When I returned the chicks were larger.And they have combs and waddles,and they are DEEP red......Pretty for sure all 3 are roosters.

I thought that was my affliction! LOL. When I bought my original flock last year, I was supposed to have 10 hens and 2 roosters, all sexed birds. I wound up with 5 roosters and 7 hens. I bought 6 more pullets. One turned out to be a rooster. That makes 6 roosters and 12 hens. Then Aggie hatched her first brood in February. Looks like 7 cockerels and one pullet. Now I have another brood of chicks. so far I'm seeing 3 pullets but they are only 4 weeks old.

I rehomed 2 cockerels due to aggression, but the rest are here forever. I have to admit I really like my roosters. They are brash, sassy, arrogant and when they want to be, completely charming. Don't get me wrong. I love my sweet girls, but the boys can be fun when they want to be.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Its gonna be hard to keep them,I only have one grow out pen,guess i'll use it for them and see who turns out to be best roo.All look very good....I am attached to them.

 

[cabinchicky]

I too am attached to my feathered guys but for my breeding program one may have to be put down if his replacement and he can not live together. Yes it will break me up to do it but it is something I must come to terms with. Hope it doesn't happen still. He is a great roo but he is getting grumpy since he can not mate. He tries but it's not happening.

 

[the poppster]

Its gonna be hard to keep them,I only have one grow out pen,guess i'll use it for them and see who turns out to be best roo.All look very good....I am attached to them.

It's tough when you get to personal with young cockrels....especially when they are most likely destined for the freezer....I've learned to keep my distance. So when the time comes it's not quite as difficult to do what has to be done....both doing them in or giving them away. Although my extra cockrels go into the freezer....example: I got some meat bird eggs this year, and let the two broodys hatch them out....there are 5 that made it, and are thriving....note: they are about the "Dumbest" chicks I have ever owned....unbelievably dumb! Anyway their names are 1,2,3,4 and 5. I just count them to be sure everyone is accounted for. No Real names. The fact they pretty much all look the same helps. But it will make it a little bit easier to butcher them when the time comes, instead of finding yourself thinking "Oh, this it Big Boy!....you get it I'm sure.