2 roosters for 6 hens?

[Shadrach]

Thanks for so many responses!

he’s still separated from the rest of the group. We’ve had some drama with the new hens hiding under the coop so we’ve got the new ones separated again. I know the right thing for me is to sell/cull one rooster.

my intention in chickens, specifically this breed (Icelandic) is a bit of all things. Eggs. Fun. Selling. I do have the space for multiple clans and I like this idea especially as I hope to do a breeding plan with 3 groups in the future but currently with only one coop we’re not set up for that.

so now which roo to keep? I have 3 hens and a roo bro’s and sis and then 2 hens and a roo Bro’s and sis. I want to keep genetics open so we don’t have issues with inbreeding, does it matter which I keep? My current rooster is a bit of a pansy, but leaves my children alone, the new guy is just so handsome! lol

thank you all for your advice and wisdom! Not looking for a blood bath and they’re all mature hens/roos so I’m not sure it’d end up a happy ending.

This article might help with your future plans if you are considering keeping clans/tribes rather than a large flock.
I don't think it will make any difference which rooster you pick.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

 

[cmom]

It's going to be a tough decision. Please keep us updated. I breed for show quality. I have multiple breeding pens. It didn't happen overnight but took several years. Good luck and have fun...

 

[mamatoes]

It's going to be a tough decision. Please keep us updated. I breed for show quality. I have multiple breeding pens. It didn't happen overnight but took several years. Good luck and have fun...

Thank you! Yes I think this is my flaw in my personality in general lol I like things done and I like it NOW! And with baby #4 due April I don’t think setting up a new tribe is wise

 

[SarahGfa]

The various tribes/groups here (I've had up to five tribes here with roosters) tend to use about an acre of land each. You can make do with half of that.

How do you decide where to build your coops? Do you space them out so each coop is in the middle of an acre, or are the coops close together and then the chickens spread out when they free range?

 

[Shadrach]

How do you decide where to build your coops? Do you space them out so each coop is in the middle of an acre, or are the coops close together and then the chickens spread out when they free range?

The coops here are all mobile to a greater or lesser degree. See my coop page.
I try to keep the coops reasonably close to the house but that's about it with regard to where I place them.
The chickens have over the years defined their territory on a tribe by tribe basis so the coops tend to stay within those areas.

 

[cmom]

How do you decide where to build your coops? Do you space them out so each coop is in the middle of an acre, or are the coops close together and then the chickens spread out when they free range?

You build however it is best for you. I have several acres. I have multiple coops but some people have one large coop divided. I personally don't free range anymore due to losses in the past from predators but the birds have large pens.

 

[SarahGfa]

The coops here are all mobile to a greater or lesser degree. See my coop page.
I try to keep the coops reasonably close to the house but that's about it with regard to where I place them.
The chickens have over the years defined their territory on a tribe by tribe basis so the coops tend to stay within those areas.

I read your coop page. Thank you for providing such insightful information. I was curious if you wait for chickens to define a territory and then move the coop to their territory, or if you train each tribe to a coop and let them define their territory around it.

Here is a more specific question. I have one large coop and two small empty coops on different parts of the property. If I keep expanding my flock, will tribes eventually break off and move into the empty coops on their own?

 

[Shadrach]

I read your coop page. Thank you for providing such insightful information. I was curious if you wait for chickens to define a territory and then move the coop to their territory, or if you train each tribe to a coop and let them define their territory around it.

Here is a more specific question. I have one large coop and two small empty coops on different parts of the property. If I keep expanding my flock, will tribes eventually break off and move into the empty coops on their own?

I would think probably not. There are lots a variables. None here have adopted an empty coop. They've all gone up the trees first. Then I train them to use the new coop.
How groups split is also a bit of a gamble. Here, because there were originally only two breeds they split by breed. This is most common according to other people I know who have a similar setup.
After the split by breed comes split by nearest and strongest genetic link. So, I've had a very large hen (Marans size) living with bantams because despite her size her mother was a bantam and the other bantams seen to accept her as one of them.
In general, the junior males get driven out of the tribe, or leave the tribe if there are 'free' females that will follow him. The biggest problem here has been the rogue rooster who has either not had or lost his siblings and mother. They have no tribe willing to accept them and end up on their own preying on any lone hens they can trap.

 

[Laceylatti]

Hi, what ended up happening with your roosters?

 

[mamatoes]

Hi, what ended up happening with your roosters?

I sold one!

I’m going to run into rooster issues again though! I incubated a bunch of eggs and sold a bunch of hens and kept one rooster and one hen and culled the other Roos. So now I have 5 Viking hens 1 Viking too and 1 golden laced hen and one roo. Plus all the moms just went crazy making babies. So I plan to sell a bunch but currently the two adult roos are doing ok! They sorta go their separate ways in the day and roost on separate roosts ar night.