Housing Roosters and Hens

Date sort Score sort
Haljov2

Haljov2

In the Brooder
Mar 24, 2016
13
9
47
I have six pet chickens that are about a year old. I bought them last year as chicks. I ended up with three roosters and three hens. They have always been housed together without any problems. Recently I noticed that two of the hens are losing feathers on their backs. After researching online, I learned that they are probably over mating. I did not even know that this was a possibility. I am in the process of building another coop for the roosters and I got saddles for the hens. If I house them separately, are they able to interact together in the yard or do they have to be separated at all times?
 
Last edited:
If you house them separately and then let them all out together to free range, you'll most likely still be in the exact same situation you're in right now. It may even be worse, since you'll have hormone crazy cockerels that have been housed together without any hens. When you let them out, I bet the first thing on their minds will be to chase the girls down and mate them until their hearts content. However, you could alternate free range days. Let the girls out one day, and the boys the next.
 
I'd consider saying goodbye to two of the roos and getting more hens. Whilst not caste in stone, a ratio of 1 roo to 10 hens is advised to mitigate the problems you are having.

Best wishes

CT
 
I want to keep all three roosters even if I have to separate them. They are pets. My children love them!
 
I was hoping that there was a way to make it work since they have all been together since birth, but I guess I will have to separate them and alternate days. Thanks for all the advice.
 
Haljov2 said:
I was hoping that there was a way to make it work since they have all been together since birth, but I guess I will have to separate them and alternate days. Thanks for all the advice.
Click to expand...
Tho you may think of them as 'pets' ......they are livestock animals, domesticated but not like a cat or dog.
Multiple males almost always cause problems and subjecting a relatively small number of females to multiple males is not really humane, IMO.
 
Though you may think of them as just "livestock"', they are my pets. I came on here looking for advice so that I could do the best thing for them . As i previously stated, they are being separated. Thanks.
 
Haljov2 said:
I have six pet chickens that are about a year old. I bought them last year as chicks. I ended up with three roosters and three hens. They have always been housed together without any problems. Recently I noticed that two of the hens are losing feathers on their backs. After researching online, I learned that they are probably over mating. I did not even know that this was a possibility. I am in the process of building another coop for the roosters and I got saddles for the hens. If I house them separately, are they able to interact together in the yard or do they have to be separated at all times?
Click to expand...

I'm re-quoting your original post so I can address your primary question. Yes, it's possible to house the boys separately from the girls and still make it possible for them all to interact.

You've pretty much agreed that a bachelor coop is necessary to take pressure off the hens. When you go about designing it, try to design their bachelor pen to have a common wall with the hens' run. Roosters very often are quite content to interact with the hens through a fence barrier. This has worked for me for years, and I saw no downside from it.

When I had more than one rooster, I would alternate days that one roo could free range with the hens while the other remained penned up. That way, each roo got his chance with the girls, and the girls were far better off. Although, you may find that even one rooster allowed access to three hens may result in over-mating. I would then restrict access to perhaps one day a week.

You can have your pet chickens and manage them well, too.
 

Similar threads

kloverdarling
    • Like
Help, super mean hen issue.
Replies
3
Views
231
kloverdarling
kloverdarling
A
Can I separate one rooster?
Replies
2
Views
410
Ridgerunner
Ridgerunner
S
    • Like
HIgh libido rooster!
Replies
5
Views
255
SallyBee
S
H
    • Like
Rooster??
Replies
3
Views
151
GirlsHuntToo
GirlsHuntToo
M
    • Like
Any chance of stopping rooster attacking my dog?
2
Replies
13
Views
274
Manson The Rooster
M

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom