advice needed on flock management

[lv9777]

I have a flock of five, two adult hens and 3 - 12 week old roosters (bad luck with letting broody hatch out a few eggs). I have found a home for my boys, but I am worried about how to manage their leaving and timing. In my hatch, I also had a runt which passed away this week and the flock is still managing that change (everyone helped care for the little guy and my top hen and one rooster are still "sad"). Is it too early to now re-home my roosters? The smallest rooster is very close still to "Mama" hen. The roosters will be together and will adjust, but I am concerned about my two girls. The addition of the chicks has helped my two girls get along much better and I hate to have them return to fighting. My top hen is a barred rock and the only survivor of a hawk and my original few birds. I bought two more hens to keep her company and introduced them at 12 weeks. It went passably, until I went away. I am unclear on the details but while I was gone, my sitter said that Marble killed one of the new girls. The remaining girl keeps a wide berth and they coexist, no blood shed. Since the hatch and the runt adoption by my top hen, harmony has reigned. The chicks seemed to have mellowed my top hen and elevated the status of Mom. Two is not a good number for a flock. I hate to see this change back.
Another factor is I will be away on vacation and will have a sitter again for 2 weeks. If I wait to re-home the roosters, It will have to be January and they will be 16 weeks which is to old to stay with the girls I think. I do not have a second coop.
I may be overthinking this and if so I know this group will let me know. . Thank you for the advice. This forum is a wealth of knowledge!!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Are you not keeping a male? If you are keeping a male, then do it now. If you're not, I would still do it now. They will be going through hormones and 3 against 2 isn't a good ratio at all.

 

[lv9777]

Are you not keeping a male? If you are keeping a male, then do it now. If you're not, I would still do it now. They will be going through hormones and 3 against 2 isn't a good ratio at all.

Currently I cannot keep a rooster (change in plans). Is there anything I can do to help my two girls adjust? Next spring, I will put pullet chicks under my Maran since she was an easy going, accepting Mama.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Currently I cannot keep a rooster (change in plans). Is there anything I can do to help my two girls adjust? Next spring, I will put pullet chicks under my Maran since she was an easy going, accepting Mama.

Not really. Things might be better for them both now that they have had a flock larger than them. But 2 is always a tough number since there's no one else to spread the picking around on

 

[bobbi-j]

They’ll be fine. Chickens hate change, but eventually they will adjust.

 

[Mrs. K]

Keeping the roosters for any more time is much more apt to cause a lot more problems, especially as you have no way of separating them. If you have a way of moving them on, do so at once.

I really think, that they two remaining hens will be fine. They have probably settled their differences and will get along fine. Past behavior is not real indicative of future behavior in chickens.

Mrs K