7 Rooter and 4 hens - need advice on how to handle this

[jpalmatier83]

There will be less birds in it than in the actual one and at least the pullets will be safe.

The way I heard their statement was “maybe use the bigger space for the seven birds until you settle on a permanent arrangement. If you put 7 Roos in a tiny space problems will be sure to ensue.”

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

There will be less birds in it than in the actual one and at least the pullets will be safe.

The way I heard their statement was “maybe use the bigger space for the seven birds until you settle on a permanent arrangement. If you put 7 Roos in a tiny space problems will be sure to ensue.”

Yes, the OP has more cockerels than pullets. It makes sense to me to put the smaller amount of birds in the smaller pen.

 

[LaFleche]

Only if he wants to risk losing his pullets.

It's not as secure as my main coop though, so I was hesitant to move the girls tonight.

I put together a makeshift second coop from a large doghouse and kennel that came with the property

the 2nd coop could do with better security

will give me time to reinforce the new coop and build a door for the front of the kennel/run as its open right now and we do have predators.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Only if he wants to risk losing his pullets.

I assume that the OP doesn’t want to risk losing any of their chickens, in none of their posts did they indicate that they cared about the pullets more than the cockerels.

 

[LaFleche]

I assume that the OP doesn’t want to risk losing any of their chickens, in none of their posts did they indicate that they cared about the pullets more than the cockerels.

True. I do also care about all my animals and want them to live an unharrassed and healthy long life.

But if I have to choose between having my 4 pullets harrassed and possibly injured by 7 hormonal cockerels simultaneously in the morning, I would rather risk separating the surplus ones for 1-3 days and nights in the makeshift doghouse/kennel coop and hurry to reinforce the security for them.
But that is just me. Everyone has their own way and opinion on how to deal with upcoming issues.

 

[Eristas]

Keep in mind that you can’t free range both groups simultaneously. I also don’t know how a shared fence wall will change things. The bachelor flocks I’ve read about have always been isolated from hens entirely.

With 10 acres IF I do end up keeping a batchlor flock and a regular flock the idea would be to have them at opposing ends of the property. The land is not flat at all, very hilly/valley, field and forest thing going on, so long term in this scenario I'd stick the boys at the top of the hill to the left of the house. And then the girls would be to the right of the house down a big hill near the forest.

Given the way they free range right now I don't think the two flocks would ever encounter one another. I've taken note of how far away from the coop they go and while it is a good ways away if they are at opposite ends of undulating land I think I can get away with it.

 

[Mrs. K]

Separate them ASAP

Being raised together has no influence on chicken society or behavior, they are not puppies.

Bachelor Flocks do tend to have crowing contests...neighbors?

I would put all of the cockerels together - because they all know each other and even if a bit rough, they know they belong to the flock. Thing is, it is easy to add a cockerel/rooster to a flock of hens or laying pullets, but it is very difficult to add a strange rooster to a bachelor flock. If you separate the cockerels, and then in 4 weeks wish you had not kept the rooster with girls - well it is hard to put him into bachelor quarters.

 

[jpalmatier83]

With 10 acres IF I do end up keeping a batchlor flock and a regular flock the idea would be to have them at opposing ends of the property. The land is not flat at all, very hilly/valley, field and forest thing going on, so long term in this scenario I'd stick the boys at the top of the hill to the left of the house. And then the girls would be to the right of the house down a big hill near the forest.

Given the way they free range right now I don't think the two flocks would ever encounter one another. I've taken note of how far away from the coop they go and while it is a good ways away if they are at opposite ends of undulating land I think I can get away with it.

I hope you’re right. I’ve lived on 40 acres, and I’ve also seen how far chickens will go on two.

I don’t know if you plan on automating the doors, but 10 acres is a long way to go east to west twice a day to open and close them up and do chores.

I’m not trying to talk you out of it. I’m just spitballing ideas.

 

[Eristas]

True. I do also care about all my animals and want them to live an unharrassed and healthy long life.

But if I have to choose between having my 4 pullets harrassed and possibly injured by 7 hormonal cockerels simultaneously in the morning, I would rather risk separating the surplus ones for 1-3 days and nights in the makeshift doghouse/kennel coop and hurry to reinforce the security for them.
But that is just me. Everyone has their own way and opinion on how to deal with upcoming issues.

I care about all the chickens equally and want them all to be happy and healthy. It's not about eggs or meat for me. I just like chickens. The makeshift coop cannot hold 7 roosters, it is far too small. Also it is right near the house and I have to draw the line at 7 roosters crowing less than 15' away! Me and my other half both work from home....

I can reinforce it to be predator proof tomorrow, I just need a few hours. I did what I could today after work and the inside of the makeshift coop now has a nice roost in it and I installed my spare automatic coop door.

If I keep them there longer term I will make it so the roof lifts off so I can clean it. But I've got tools and know how to build so I'm not concerned about that.

It's just the run/kennel area that I need to build a door for and reinforce the chainlink fencing with additional chicken wire. It has a solid floor already so I'm not worred about anything digging its way in.

The girls will be safe there once I spend a few hours getting it ready properly!

The roosters are comprised of: 4x amerucanas, 2x buff orpingtons and 1x some sort of white/tan bantam - we call him 'tiny' lol.

The 'gang' is 3 of the amerucanas, 1 buff and Tiny. Tiny has no idea he's a bantam and crows his little heart out. The other amerucana and other buff stay out of it.

Tiny was meant to be an amerucana but he very clearly is not lol.

 

[Eristas]

I hope you’re right. I’ve lived on 40 acres, and I’ve also seen how far chickens will go on two.

I don’t know if you plan on automating the doors, but 10 acres is a long way to go east to west twice a day to open and close them up and do chores.

I’m not trying to talk you out of it. I’m just spitballing ideas.

I already have 2 automatic coop doors to let them out into the run at dawn. I go down at about 9am to let them free range for the day. And to be honest...for my day job I'm at a desk for 8 hours so the exercise is good for me. I also have large feeders that only need to be refilled once every 3 days or so. I already walk up and down 'chicken hill' several times a day, visiting them and making sure everything is ok, so it really wouldn't add much on if I had to hike up to a second coop on the hill. I'm already huffing and puffing less in the few months the coop has been down the hill! It's about 300 feet from the house, down a not small hill. Go chicken cardio!! lol

I also have plans to automate the water for the coop involving gutters, a water butt (barrel?) a heating element, pvc pipe, chicken nipples and a recirculating pump. This is mainly for winter though as I do not particulary want to trudge through 3 feet of snow to un-ice the water several times a day. I live in the north east US and winters are harsh here.

Oh, and while I just have 10 acres, there is another 10 next to me which is empty, the owner lives in FL and has no interest in doing anything with it or selling. And then behind me is another empty 40 acres of forest and to the left is my neighbors 35. So, basically what I'm saying is that outside the bounds of my land is a ton more land with nothing on it and no one who cares if a few chickens are wandering about.