2 Roosters, 5 hens, 7 pullets

[3SiameseCats]

In a potential predicament here. Also hope this is there right place to post this as I’m new here. But as the title says, I have 2 roos and 5 hens. They all grew up together, and have been together since almost the beginning (4 were bought a week after the roos and the hen hatched). They are roughly all 3m old.

I’ve been warned by many that this isn’t enough hens to satisfy both roos. So today, I went and bought 7 more pullets since we got plenty of space. Problem is, as you probably know, is that they aren’t going to mature fast enough. So the question is, what are my options? I have plenty of space to separate a roo into a temporary bachelor pad, but I don’t have the resources to build anything major. Plus, this is just going to be for at most a few months.

Also, when can I intergrate the chicks in with the others? And is there any chance the hens might see the chicks as their own and look after them? The meat hen (who we have no plans to use for meat) is the most mature hen, who we call Mumma hen because she’s acted like a mother in a sense to the others when they were younger, so it wouldn’t be surprising to me currently if she did the same with these chicks. But I know it’s highly likely I’m wrong.

 

[Mrs. K]

Oh dear, you are in a predicament. You have a group of birds that are not likely to create a good flock, and will probably have a great deal of strife if you do not use some animal husbandry strategies. Chickens are not like puppies and you have to be selective to as which birds your put together, or it can get VERY UGLY.

I think that you are beginning to come out of the darling stage with your cockerel chicks. This happens, cockerels tend to be very brave, and often approach people in what seems like a very friendly manner, but is actually the first signs that they have no fear (which seems like a good idea, but isn't in chickens) and translates to they do not have any respect for people.

This 'friendliness' tends to make people love them, and be horrified at the idea of culling them. They are a lot of fun in the darling stage. But around 12-16 weeks, the hormones begin to hit hard, and this changes the bird. It is not the bird that you had just a few days ago. I think that this is where you are, because all of a sudden you must be seeing possible problems, and would like to prevent that. That is the problem.

Being raised together has no influence at all with cockerels. The more cockerels that you have, the greater the chance of it not working out. Young cockerels in a flock of just flock mates cause a lot of problems and strife. They are ready to breed 4-8 WEEKS before the pullets are.

They BOTH need to be separated from the pullets. They are bigger than the pullets, and without older hens to knock some manners into them, they just become bullies. Sometimes they can wear pullets out, literally killing them, keeping them from enough water and food. If your pullets are hiding, loosing feathers, running constantly, do at least remove your cockerels from them ASAP.

Secondly they can attack each other. Sometimes this is a once and done, sometimes they will fight to the death, and a lot of time this is a constantly ongoing thing with battles daily. Again being raised together has no influence on this. This cause a lot of strife in the flock, and is upsetting to your other birds.

Thirdly - they can attack people. Inexperienced people vastly underestimate the violence of a rooster attack. If you have children under the age of 6, I strongly recommend removing them from your flock. They tend to attack children first, and small children at the face and head level. Then they will take on women, and eventually even men. They will scratch, bite, and flog. They can knock a child down. At best it is unpleasant, at worst it can leave scars, and ruin this hobby forever.

Your older birds will be aggressive to your chicks. They too may be aggressive enough to kill them. You can integrate them into the flock, around 4 weeks, but you need a lot of space, and you need a safety zone in which the bigger birds cannot follow them. The meat bird will not do anything to protect them.

Do make some changes to the flock. They really are not like puppies and kittens where being raised together tend to work it out. I can see from your remark on the meat birds, that you probably do not want to cull and eat the birds, however, you really do need to either set up a way to separate the boys and girls for at least 2 months. And make a plan on how to either give away the cockerels or dispatch them if needed. Realistically, there is a very large chance that neither cockerel will be a pet like bird, many attack people. Getting a plan on how you will manage that now will be of help.

Mrs K

 

[jpalmatier83]

People have strong opinions on this site regarding Roos and flock management.

You said you started with 7 birds and are able/willing to add 7 more? Sounds to me like you’re well set up for one happy roo with 12 hens.

I wouldn’t expect to keep the meat bird long term. Nor would I expect her to raise babies.

I would think that if you have a good strategy to integrate the 7 new pullets with the 3mo old birds and reduce your rooster population to one, you have a good foundation.

 

[Sussex19]

I am thinking along slightly different lines from other people. I think it could work out, but you would need to separate both cockerels in to a bachelor flock until are your girls have grown up.
They should get on fine like that, and the pullets can mature in peace. Then, once they are all laying eggs, or there abouts, introduce both cockerels back, and see if they get on, which imo there is a very good chance they will.
I have found that being raised together does make a big difference.
Just never, ever separate them, as then you have blown your chances of making it work. Maybe down the line they won't get on, or maybe they will over mate the girls, so you do need a plan b, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to make it work, if you want to.

 

[Sussex19]

Two Roos over 11-12 hens seems like a bit much, but you’re not wrong.

Maybe, or maybe not.
I don't have any trouble keeping 5 or 6 hens to one rooster and some people keep pairs.
Its largely down to how good the roosters are, which is as yet unproven.

 

[jpalmatier83]

Yes, 14 birds with floor dimension of 8ft by 8 ft inside coop.

Yeah, so, 8x8 is 64 sq ft. Divided by 14 birds would be 4.57 sq ft per bird. That’s tight for prolonged indoor stretches.

 

[jpalmatier83]

Yeah I could see bumping it out a few feet on the left side. Although if I don’t need to worry about confining them in winter I shouldn’t need to add anything on, at least before next summer, giving me time to save up some money for pt wood. We already got plenty of extra hardware cloth. 4 feet out on the left equals 80 total square feet of run, would that be good? Hardware cloth is 4ft wide.

I’ll look into that, although I like keeping stuff uniform. Although it’s a chicken coop, you can’t expect fancy.

Assuming your measurements of “4 feet out on the left equals 80 total square fee of run” are accurate, my math says 64 sq ft of coop, plus 80 sq ft of run, equals 144 sq ft total combined area. 14 birds means 10.28 sq ft per bird.

I’m from northern Michigan. Some of my thoughts. Some times it’s easier to free range birds in the winter. They may not get as much food from it, but they’re way less inclined to roam way away from home. I snowblow and shovel paths for mine. They like going out under pine trees and other cover. So, if you can give them the coop and expanded run the majority of the time, and add “curated free range space” for a bit during the winter that may be enough.

Also in north MI, in the last 8 years I’ve not had a storm that lasted long enough to keep me from at least opening the doors and giving them the option of coming out. 4.57 sq ft inside the coop is not feasible, add the run to up it to 10.28 and you’re getting much closer. Maybe throw a top and one wall on the side of prevailing wind. And give them frequent (if not constant) access to range. I think that’d be fine.

This is all assuming that you either reduce the flock to one (well behaved) roo or make very sure the two get along.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Also, when can I intergrate the chicks in with the others? And is there any chance the hens might see the chicks as their own and look after them? The meat hen (who we have no plans to use for meat) is the most mature hen, who we call Mumma hen because she’s acted like a mother in a sense to the others when they were younger, so it wouldn’t be surprising to me currently if she did the same with these chicks. But I know it’s highly likely I’m wrong.

How old are the younger birds?

You're looking at needing to set up a see but don't touch integration area for the younger ones for a few weeks, to start.

Incidentally you don't have hens or roosters, at 3 months old you only have pullets and cockerels. Pullets aren't going to raise chicks and I wouldn't risk attempting something like that, it'd be like expecting a 8 year old to raise babies.

 

[Pegasus667]

Oh dear, you are in a predicament. You have a group of birds that are not likely to create a good flock, and will probably have a great deal of strife if you do not use some animal husbandry strategies. Chickens are not like puppies and you have to be selective to as which birds your put together, or it can get VERY UGLY.

I think that you are beginning to come out of the darling stage with your cockerel chicks. This happens, cockerels tend to be very brave, and often approach people in what seems like a very friendly manner, but is actually the first signs that they have no fear (which seems like a good idea, but isn't in chickens) and translates to they do not have any respect for people.

This 'friendliness' tends to make people love them, and be horrified at the idea of culling them. They are a lot of fun in the darling stage. But around 12-16 weeks, the hormones begin to hit hard, and this changes the bird. It is not the bird that you had just a few days ago. I think that this is where you are, because all of a sudden you must be seeing possible problems, and would like to prevent that. That is the problem.

Being raised together has no influence at all with cockerels. The more cockerels that you have, the greater the chance of it not working out. Young cockerels in a flock of just flock mates cause a lot of problems and strife. They are ready to breed 4-8 WEEKS before the pullets are.

They BOTH need to be separated from the pullets. They are bigger than the pullets, and without older hens to knock some manners into them, they just become bullies. Sometimes they can wear pullets out, literally killing them, keeping them from enough water and food. If your pullets are hiding, loosing feathers, running constantly, do at least remove your cockerels from them ASAP.

Secondly they can attack each other. Sometimes this is a once and done, sometimes they will fight to the death, and a lot of time this is a constantly ongoing thing with battles daily. Again being raised together has no influence on this. This cause a lot of strife in the flock, and is upsetting to your other birds.

Thirdly - they can attack people. Inexperienced people vastly underestimate the violence of a rooster attack. If you have children under the age of 6, I strongly recommend removing them from your flock. They tend to attack children first, and small children at the face and head level. Then they will take on women, and eventually even men. They will scratch, bite, and flog. They can knock a child down. At best it is unpleasant, at worst it can leave scars, and ruin this hobby forever.

Your older birds will be aggressive to your chicks. They too may be aggressive enough to kill them. You can integrate them into the flock, around 4 weeks, but you need a lot of space, and you need a safety zone in which the bigger birds cannot follow them. The meat bird will not do anything to protect them.

Do make some changes to the flock. They really are not like puppies and kittens where being raised together tend to work it out. I can see from your remark on the meat birds, that you probably do not want to cull and eat the birds, however, you really do need to either set up a way to separate the boys and girls for at least 2 months. And make a plan on how to either give away the cockerels or dispatch them if needed. Realistically, there is a very large chance that neither cockerel will be a pet like bird, many attack people. Getting a plan on how you will manage that now will be of help.

Mrs K

I think you are being a little bit extreme. All roosters and hens don't act that way. I have a roo that eats out of my hand and is gentle as can be. The other roo is afraid of me. The first is the alpha. They have little skirmishes but not too serious. They each have their own hens pretty much. There are 14 hens. No bloodshed or attacking people.

 

[aart]

...and adding more females is not necessarily going to satisfy 2 males.