Hello BYC!
So-- I've been waiting to post about this for awhile now because I didn't want to jinx it! But I finally think I can share my story:
I ended up with only 2 hens from an original 6 last April. I proceeded to get 6 more chicks and hatched 2 'legacy' chickens of my own (between March and May). I ended up with 4 roosters and 6 hens in total. I was extremely worried about my rooster situation. While I am lucky to live in a rural enough area to allow roos, I thought that I would have to get rid of all but one... unless I wanted to keep a separate 'bachelor pad', and my partner was not so keen on that idea. HOWEVER, I feel like I have hit the chicken jackpot! I have 4 roosters that get along wonderfully, and wonderfully with the hens as well. My chickens free range with each other all day, everyday. My roosters are respectful of my hens and are quite friendly to each other. I truly thought that this would be an impossibility.
Full disclosure the roosters I have are: 1 d'Uccle, 1 bantam frizzle Cochin, 1 Rhode Island Red and 1 .75 Barred Rock/.25 Freedom Ranger (my bantam Cochin does pick on my 'Rock Ranger' cross but the Cochin is smaller by about 11 lbs!).
A lot of times I find all my boys hanging out together, they will protect and stand up for each other, too. At times they puff their chests up and act tough but it never escalates beyond jumping and wing flapping. Sometimes another roo will even interject himself to break up the cock-off! My boys like to keep the peace. They are also wonderfully sweet with people.
I know there must be other BYCers that have had luck with roosters like me, but I feel incredibly lucky to have a great clutch! I want others to feel optimistic about roosters as well and be willing to give them a chance.
Please share similar stories if you have them. I love my roosters and feel so blessed to have such a fortunate amalgam.
So-- I've been waiting to post about this for awhile now because I didn't want to jinx it! But I finally think I can share my story:
I ended up with only 2 hens from an original 6 last April. I proceeded to get 6 more chicks and hatched 2 'legacy' chickens of my own (between March and May). I ended up with 4 roosters and 6 hens in total. I was extremely worried about my rooster situation. While I am lucky to live in a rural enough area to allow roos, I thought that I would have to get rid of all but one... unless I wanted to keep a separate 'bachelor pad', and my partner was not so keen on that idea. HOWEVER, I feel like I have hit the chicken jackpot! I have 4 roosters that get along wonderfully, and wonderfully with the hens as well. My chickens free range with each other all day, everyday. My roosters are respectful of my hens and are quite friendly to each other. I truly thought that this would be an impossibility.
Full disclosure the roosters I have are: 1 d'Uccle, 1 bantam frizzle Cochin, 1 Rhode Island Red and 1 .75 Barred Rock/.25 Freedom Ranger (my bantam Cochin does pick on my 'Rock Ranger' cross but the Cochin is smaller by about 11 lbs!).
A lot of times I find all my boys hanging out together, they will protect and stand up for each other, too. At times they puff their chests up and act tough but it never escalates beyond jumping and wing flapping. Sometimes another roo will even interject himself to break up the cock-off! My boys like to keep the peace. They are also wonderfully sweet with people.
I know there must be other BYCers that have had luck with roosters like me, but I feel incredibly lucky to have a great clutch! I want others to feel optimistic about roosters as well and be willing to give them a chance.
Please share similar stories if you have them. I love my roosters and feel so blessed to have such a fortunate amalgam.
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. My bantam frizzle definitely thinks he’s extra.
