chickentowns
In the Brooder
I know nobody can make this decision for me, but this is my first flock and I’d really appreciate your advice. Our chickens are 15 weeks old and two of them are cockerels, a Blue Laced Wyandotte and a Barred Plymouth Rock. They are both beautiful.
All 12 chickens have grown up together since day 1 and get along quite well, including the roosters. Now that I’ve discovered I have 2 roosters, I assume I should probably get rid of one as I don’t want them to stress the hens. I have seen overbred hens and I don’t want to do that to my girls.
I’ve keep reading online about the rule of 10 hens to every 1 rooster, but I have also seen the qualification of “5 to 1 if it’s a heavy breed”. But that “5:1 heavy breed” statement doesn’t seem to have a lot of detail in the articles I’ve read. Are Wyandottes and Barred Rocks breeds where I could get away with my current ratio of 6:1? Is it too risky?
I’d love to keep them both because we’ve grown attached to them, but I don’t want to put my girls at risk.
If I DO have to get rid of one, is there an age where I should make the call? They’re both so even tempered as of now.
More detail on their setup: They have a large coop, and the run is about 700 square feet with various areas to entertain them. As of now, I only allow them to free range when I’m outside as I worry about predators.
All 12 chickens have grown up together since day 1 and get along quite well, including the roosters. Now that I’ve discovered I have 2 roosters, I assume I should probably get rid of one as I don’t want them to stress the hens. I have seen overbred hens and I don’t want to do that to my girls.
I’ve keep reading online about the rule of 10 hens to every 1 rooster, but I have also seen the qualification of “5 to 1 if it’s a heavy breed”. But that “5:1 heavy breed” statement doesn’t seem to have a lot of detail in the articles I’ve read. Are Wyandottes and Barred Rocks breeds where I could get away with my current ratio of 6:1? Is it too risky?
I’d love to keep them both because we’ve grown attached to them, but I don’t want to put my girls at risk.
If I DO have to get rid of one, is there an age where I should make the call? They’re both so even tempered as of now.
More detail on their setup: They have a large coop, and the run is about 700 square feet with various areas to entertain them. As of now, I only allow them to free range when I’m outside as I worry about predators.