3 Cockerel and 1 Pullet

[Jgerrior125]

Advice needed. We have 4 chickens we got from my sons school. A class lesson where they got the eggs, raised them in the incubator and then in their class till they were 4 weeks old. They are now 13 weeks old and we are learning we are very unlucky where we ended up with 3 cockerels and 1 pullet. We do have 8 more younger chicks that are only 7 weeks old so they have not yet been integrated. I am hoping to find a home for the cockerels as we do not have space for a bachelor pad. What is the best way to go about separating them? Should we take the 3 cockerels away at the same time and then have the new 8 go with the older pullet so she won't be alone?? We have had the younger chickens in a run next to the older and have been doing well especially the one that's a pullet but just have not put them all together. Or would it be best to just figure out how to keep one cockerel to go with the pullet so it's not lonely?? Sorry newbie and learning as we go and were not expecting to have such bad odds.

 

[swamphiker]

How old are the younger chicks?

 

[ShrekDawg]

How old are the younger chicks?

They mentioned them being 7 weeks old. The older birds are 13 weeks

 

[swamphiker]

Given the relatively small age difference between the two groups, I think you'll be okay to go ahead and combine them at any time and get rid of the cockerels at your convenience within the next few weeks.

 

[Jgerrior125]

How old are the younger chicks?

The are almost 7 weeks old so still a big size difference

 

[swamphiker]

The are almost 7 weeks old so still a big size difference

Given enough space/hiding spots for the younger chicks to get away from the older ones, I don't think the age difference will be a problem.

 

[aart]

I had this situation, 3 age groups(will never do that again, tho I learned a lot) adult flock and 2 chick groups. Middle chick group had 3 males 1 female, got rid of those males and within about a week the lone female joined to younger chick group. Age difference was similar(don't remember exactly). BUT they were all already merged and living in the same coop.

 

[Jgerrior125]

I had this situation, 3 age groups(will never do that again, tho I learned a lot) adult flock and 2 chick groups. Middle chick group had 3 males 1 female, got rid of those males and within about a week the lone female joined to younger chick group. Age difference was similar(don't remember exactly). BUT they were all already merged and living in the same coop.

Thanks!! 2 of the 4 just started looking like cockerels and I posted them on the site and it was confirmed so I was nervous to merge them fully with 2 roosters and them being so much larger... but then yesterday morning the one I thought was a hen started crowing so it was not good. Wasn't sure if they would be good all together again because of size difference and then 3 roosters. The original group of 4 do so well together actually... for now. 2 roosters are constantly together so I wasn't expecting that at all.

 

[bobbi-j]

So, the two roosters are older chickens? I’m a little confused. If you have one pullet in with 3 cockerels, I would separate her ASAP, or make plans to do so sooner rather than later. If those boys hit sexual maturity before you get rid of them, she will have no peace. They will knock each other off her to breed with her, they will chase her relentlessly to breed her, they will chase her from food and water to breed her… At least that’s what happened here when I had a 1:1 ratio of cockerels to pullets. Those girls had no peace, and there were a dozen of them.

 

[loohoo]

I’d just try to rehome the cockerels ASAP, and start allowing the two groups to spend supervised time together where the younger ones can still get away from the bigger one(s). See how they do. I think you’ll have an easier time integrating them together as they’re both younger vs integrating younger ones in with adults - adults are more territorial than younger ones.

I’ve seen the advice given on here that if this is your first time around with chickens, don’t keep a rooster…and I agree with that! This is our fourth year with chickens, and I have ZERO interest in keeping a rooster (on top of not being allowed where we live) We finally got rid of our 19week old rooster from this spring’s chicks (supposed to be pullets, but he snuck by I guess) and the whole vibe is different in the coop, in a good way! Roosters are unpredictable, and if you’re just getting the hang of chicken keeping, I really agree with others on sticking with hens at least the first year. A friend has had a rooster close to 2 years now who out of the blue has turned on her, and he’s not going to be around much longer I don’t think. There are good roosters out there for sure, but they’re a different ballgame than hens. (In my opinion) They’re always the sweetest as chicks but they don’t always stay that way!