a little help please...

[JedJackson]

I've hand raised 4, 13 wk old chooks. 1 appears to be a cockerel. I can't keep roos. These four are very tight & always together, even free-ranging. If one is seperated, panic (& 'screaming') ensues. I don't know what's best for them. There's a no-kill farm of 200 chickens that will take my sweet cockerel. Won't he be lost? Is it better to keep them together? I'd have to give them all away (break my heart.) What's best for my extremely tight knit foursome? Thanks

My advice it to take pictures of your birds, with combs and a good side views including the tail area, and then post them in the What Gender? forum, here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/what-breed-or-gender-is-this.15/

You will most likely get good information on the birds, one way or the other. That way there won't be any uncertainty.

If it turns out you do have a cockerel, you will have to go from there. My two cents is that cockerels are tough and quickly adapt to new homes, and since you have a no-kill farm that will take him, you are luckier than most. People re-home cockerels all the time and in the vast majority of cases it works out fine.

Your pullets will miss him for a while, but they will quickly get over it. They don't need a cockerel and will do just fine on their own.

 

[FrankieDoodle]

Welcome to BYC!!!

 

[ronott1]

It is a bit early for saddle feathers!

Sending him to the no kill place is fine. He will adjust and so will the other flock mates

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Welcome to our FUNomenal Flock!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

 

[feathermaid]

I had two groups of chickens and when I tried to take one out and put it in the other group I had no idea they had such a strong bond. Its been months and they are still grouped up. I have 23 chickens total with six roosters and the rest hens. Im not sure why people cant have rooster unless its because of a town ordinance or the roosters fight. Fortunately I have a hellova rooster in my ayam cemanti. If anyone has issues...he solves it...if someone chases a female he chases them away..literally. No males are allowed to mate except him and he rarely does. He has his own woman, another ayam cemanti. I think if you separate him and put him with a bunch of other chickens it may harm him mentally. I recently got two rooster...a showgirl and a silkie and I know for a fact if I only took one both of them may have died from loneliness. They are together 100% of the time and if I ever take one to pick up and hold the other one is pecking my leg. I hope you can find someway to keep him. Perhaps if you cant and have to give him away think about giving up one or two chickens so he is not left all by himself. Chickens are very family oriented.

Great info thanks. I agree, I think he'd be extremely stressed & it would harm him to go alone. Their bond is extremely strong. They are a little family. I cannot keep him unless he doesn't crow!? I will give up my beloved flock if it's best. I only have the four total. I aporeciate your input & advice.

I know that humans get very attached to their animals and also want to believe that their animals have human feelings. But truly, they don't think exactly like humans do, as much as you want to believe that they're actually humans in an animal body. YOU, as humans, have the ability to research and understand another species needs. You, as animal owners, also have the responsibility to do what's best for them, not just yourself (as I'm sure you know).

The reason why everyone says to get rid of your roosters is because, in a small backyard- in a tight neighborhood, they can cause problems. It takes a lot of know-how to deal with a roo, and not many owners of tiny flocks can accommodate them after full maturity. However, roosters with enough space and a large flock (in a rural setting) can be very beneficial.

Generally, a rooster will need lots of hens to mate, otherwise too few will become overworked, afraid and possibly injured. Curious @keringordon, what about your other roos that aren't allowed to mate? Why is that fair to them?

The rooster debate is long and never-ending. Ultimately, it's your own decision how to keep your birds happy and healthy. Here are some other articles that may be of interest:
Keeping A Rooster
Dealing With Roo Behavior
The Ever Misunderstood Rooster

@ChooksRfun, please don't feel bad if you have to rehome your young cockerel. Especially if he can go to a place where there's lots more hens, he'll probably be in seventh heaven! And your remaining hens will be fine, honestly, they don't need a male to lay eggs or to be happy. And they will be MUCH better off staying with you rather than going to an extremely large new group where they would have to fight for their place (all just to stay with a boy that will probably abandon them for the new girls). Flock dynamics are always changing for all birds, it's part of life, they'll adjust, it's how they were made. You never know... you might just have all pullets anyway!

I wish you the best in your new chicken adventure!!

 

[feathermaid]

Thanks. I'm new to chickens so could be wrong... but saddle feathers are there now. I need help with a plan. I can wait to see if he crows... then what? Rehome him alone?

All chickens have saddle feathers. There are many other signs to check for a cockerel:
comb and waddle development
pointy hackle feathers
wing bars
curved tail feathers
much larger legs than pullets
Probably no need to worry just yet