5 roos out of 6 straight run EEs

[Deb67]

Hi Im brand new to the forum and raising chickens and I have tried to figure out what to do before posting but I think Im more confused than I was.

I got 6 straight run americaunas from tsc in late Feb.( I have since realized that they are easter eggers) and then added 6 (lost 1) pullets the following week; 2 red stars, 2 black stars, and 1 leghorn. They are wonderful and my family and I are quite attached to them. After several weeks of denial I am almost positive I have 5 roos. 3 have crowed but the other 2 look the same. They are 4 months old now and no problems yet but I realize they will torture 7 hens. We are arguing over getting rid of the roosters or which ones for that matter.

My question is can I keep the 5 roos in a separate coop and pen and rotate 1 roo at a time in with the girls? Will they all get along or is this just impossible. I am at a loss

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum!

Glad you joined us!

I gues you got close to the opposite to me. I got 7 pullets from 6 straight run chicks from Cackle. Even the packing peanut was a pullet. Bad luck like that is just bad luck, but that does not make it any easier to deal with it.

I don't do it myself, but many people keep the roosters in a bachelor pad and rotate the roosters with the hens. You might have a problem when you take one that has been with the flock and put him back in the bachelor pad, but it should be no worse than doing that with a pure female flock either. They are living animals and anything might happen, but your plan has a pretty good chance of working.

 

[lieselanne]

If they are four months, they'd be a good age for stewing...wouldn't wait too long though.

 

[crawfordmama]

Don't feel bad - I hatched 5 EEs, 4 are cockerals.

I have been toying with the idea of creating a bachelor pad, because I can't for the life of me decide who to keep and who to get rid of (not to mention thinking of what will happen to my babies that I give away). I've read tons of posts on BYC, and all of them indicate that this is a case-by-case basis. Some birds do well with the arrangement, and sometimes things go awry. I guess you don't know how your birds will respond until you try it. However, I wish you luck if you do decide to do it!

 

[Deb67]

Thanks for the support Stewing is out of the question. I don't have the heart to do it since they are really pets. I am not totally sure that they are all roos anyway. I guess i picked the hardest breed to sex and not having any experience with chickens doesn't help for sure. I suppose all I can do is wait and see. I notice alot of feather pecking but it seems to be hens and roos doing it. I assume they are establishing pecking order. Hope that doesn't get worse.

 

[donrae]

post some pics and we can help sex them. At four months it's usually apparent if you have "the eye"

 

[teach1rusl]

I'm not clear on why you would rotate the roos through the hen pen??? I think that would cause more disturbance than anything. I'd pick the nicest (to the hens) roo to be with girls (or if you don't want chicks, you don't even have to do that), and keep the rest in a bachelor pen. I've always read that many roos will get along fine with one another until females are introduced into the mix - so just take females totally out of the equation. Of course I'd never have a bach. pen myself - I'd just offer the extra roos to people for pets, farms or eating... I hope you find what works for you.

 

[crawfordmama]

Quote:
Yes, post some pics and we will try to help you sex them.

 

[Deb67]

ok here are some pics
the first 2 are Apollo and Haydes they both crow

This is Blaze I think this 1 crowed but can't confirm

These are Helga and Artemis

This is Smokey who I assume is my hen

 

[featherz]

Yup, those are all roos except the last one.