Rooster de-roostering?

[Rosalind]

I have five roosters: 2 Buttercups, 3 Cochins. (Yes, I realize I should cull a couple for social reasons, but only two of the Cochins fight with each other, and they are getting better, so for now I'm letting them be. Anyway...) One Buttercup has decided to take over and be the Head Roo. At the time they were originally housed in the barn, both Buttercup roos were approximately the same level of, how can I put it, masculinity. Both had equally red, large combs, both had the same beginnings of little red wattles, both had a few hints of saddle feathers to come.

When one roo decided to be the Head Roo, seemingly by mutual agreement, his comb got bigger and redder, and I could swear that the other roo's comb didn't grow half as much, and it looks a bit paler. The lowest-level roo, a small-ish Cochin, has a comb that is not much larger than a pullet's, but at one time I could swear it was as big and red as any of the others'.

Do they actually change their hormone levels in response to social structure or something?

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Wow, interesting thought. I have no clue though!

 

[Forest_Nymph]

I believe they do...

Always had roosters and always a dominant one...therefore the other would act like a hen and submit totally. JMHO...

 

[countrygirl4513]

Okay what is the advice on culling. I have 10 roos (cockerals)out of 25 chickens. I hate to have to cull them at this point. They are only 10 wks at this time and the pecking order is starting to insue as far as who is the boss. But they are not hurting each other as of yet. The whole flock is being kept for the eggs and as pets I don't plan on eating any unless the economy gets so bad that we have to. What do you all advise about that many roos? Thanks.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

That's a lot of roos! The most I've ever had at one time was 8, they all got along fairly well, the majority of them where hatched together. I had about 28 hens at the time. I've since cut back to 3 roos, and 13 hens but I have 2 more roos and 9 girls in a chick order.

Probably one of the biggest reasons to cull is with that many roos, your hens are going to get roughed up with all the male attention, so to speak.

You don't need a roo for just eggs, only if you plan on breeding and even for that you only need one or two.

 

[lively Bee's]

We had 2 orders of chicks and ended up with 22 roos and 37 hens here is a interesting break down.

15 red star roos
4 Maran roos
1 Barred Rock Roo
2 EE'r roos

Pecking order goes as follows Marans 1 2 3 4 followed by the EE'rs the Barred rock and then red stars all the lowest on the pecking order no red star seems to be higher then the next.

The Marans all seem to share the host of top Roo and small fights with the others

So I culled six red stars and noticed a change in the chicken yard for two days it was mass chaos roos fighting roos, roos fightin hens, hens fighting hens etc then the order was changed It was 1 Maran followed by a EE'r then a mix of other breeds.

Before the mix up some of the redstars looked like juveniles alot smaller then other redstars little comb wattles lite pink but now they are getting bright red combs big wattles etc.. but they are higher in the pecking order

So two weeks later I culled 6 more red stars and yet again mass chaos in the chicken yard fighting pecking feather pulling etc etc almost like a bad blind date. After it was all said and done we still have the same head roo called elvis a Maran followed by another maran then the 2 EEr's Here is the kicker a barred rock HEN??? then a mix of other roos

I do feel that Roos will not reach maturity if they are to low in the pecking order but if that pecking order is changed and they move up then they seem to mature in to a "adult" Roo

This is not the first time I have seen a hen high in the pecking order for years when I was a kid the home flock was lead by a hen and then roo just followed the leader. I think he was hen pecked

They will be mass chaos again this week as I cull the remander of the red stars, barred rock and a few of the maran roos I can almost best the top 4 will Be the 2 marans then the 2 EEr's

Pardon the pun but the EE'r Roos are big chickens they run and hide when the other roos stand there ground like over a hand clap or a gun shot.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

This is based on something I found on the internet, not personal experience, but I had read that lower-level roos will look more like hens so they seem less threatening.

Anyway, just thought I'd share! And wow that is a lot of roos! I'm just hoping I end up with 1 out of my brood!

Meghan