Sharing a chicken run

[khrystianp81]

Has anyone rotated a large run? Back story… I got 6 chickens from tractor supply and wouldn’t you know my luck. 5-6 are roosters. I then purchased black onyx sexed and got 10 females. I just finished a brand new 10x20 run where I made an herb garden, large dust Bathe etc. I was thinking if I hook up their individual coops to the large run I can rotate if my females or roosters are in the run that says. I should add each coop has a small run that is attached to their coop. Would this work?

 

[nuthatched]

Just rehome or eat the cockerels, as long as they can see the pullets, they hurt each other or themselves trying to establish breeding rights.
Bachelor pads can work but it's a coin toss if it does or not.

 

[khrystianp81]

Just rehome or eat the cockerels, as long as they can see the pullets, they hurt each other or themselves trying to establish breeding rights.
Bachelor pads can work but it's a coin toss if it does or not.

They are all together now when will I know if they won’t work? I can move them away from visual of the hens. No one around me wants them n I can’t bear thinking about killing then. They are so sweet.

 

[nuthatched]

They are all together now when will I know if they won’t work? I can move them away from visual of the hens. No one around me wants them n I can’t bear thinking about killing then. They are so sweet.

They are sweet for now, that can change overnight once hormones hit, then they can turn into devils if their genetics/raising dictates.
How old are they?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I like the idea in theory, but roosters will fight if they are in the proximity of females. You could keep an all male coop and run far away from the girls, if you want - then keep fingers crossed whether they get along with each other or not.

If it were me, I'd advertise the roosters on craigslist, or send them to a local livestock processor who will do the deed and process them for you, give you back some nice juicy chickens for the freezer.

They are all together now when will I know if they won’t work? I can move them away from visual of the hens. No one around me wants them n I can’t bear thinking about killing then. They are so sweet.

When they are about 18 weeks old or later, when sexual maturity kicks in, they won't be so sweet anymore. Young cockerels (that's what you call young male chickens; they aren't really 'roosters' until they are a year old)... anyway, young cockerels frequently turn into little heathens at about 4-5 months of age until 1 year. Their hormones drive them to be very, very feisty, attacking each other and even humans.

If you're hoping to keep one (just ONE for ten hens) for breeding purposes, then watch them for the one who keeps out of your way and isn't aggressive to the others. You don't want one that's a pansy, either. Get rid of the rest. Really, get rid of them one way or another.

Otherwise, you'll have a pen of pet roosters away from the hens, who will sometimes fight each other, and especially their mother 'hen' who mingles with them sometimes to bring them food and treats. This is not a quality life for roosters. They need to be near hens to breed, guide them to food, herd them when needed, and protect them from predators. Living in a bachelor pad for the rest of their lives isn't a happy life.

 

[khrystianp81]

They are sweet for now, that can change overnight once hormones hit, then they can turn into devils if their genetics/raising dictates.
How old are they?

They are about 4 months

 

[khrystianp81]

I like the idea in theory, but roosters will fight if they are in the proximity of females. You could keep an all male coop and run far away from the girls, if you want - then keep fingers crossed whether they get along with each other or not.

If it were me, I'd advertise the roosters on craigslist, or send them to a local livestock processor who will do the deed and process them for you, give you back some nice juicy chickens for the freezer.


When they are about 18 weeks old or later, when sexual maturity kicks in, they won't be so sweet anymore. Young cockerels (that's what you call young male chickens; they aren't really 'roosters' until they are a year old)... anyway, young cockerels frequently turn into little heathens at about 4-5 months of age until 1 year. Their hormones drive them to be very, very feisty, attacking each other and even humans.

If you're hoping to keep one (just ONE for ten hens) for breeding purposes, then watch them for the one who keeps out of your way and isn't aggressive to the others. You don't want one that's a pansy, either. Get rid of the rest. Really, get rid of them one way or another.

Otherwise, you'll have a pen of pet roosters away from the hens, who will sometimes fight each other, and especially their mother 'hen' who mingles with them sometimes to bring them food and treats. This is not a quality life for roosters. They need to be near hens to breed, guide them to food, herd them when needed, and protect them from predators. Living in a bachelor pad for the rest of their lives isn't a happy life.

Aww ok I don’t want that. I will look into finding them homes. I had read since they were hatchlings together and raised together it could go ok. But I want them to have a quality of life definitely. Should I wait till they hit maturity to see what one to keep? I wouldn’t mind keeping 1. Would that be ok with 11 hens? They would have a 10x20 run and X-Large coop.