Advice needed regarding retiring my rooster

[Tamara119]

So, I'm facing a rooster problem and I really need some advice. I have a very large old rooster named Boss, he's a Sussex. He's in charge of:
2 Araucana hens (they joined the flock 6 months ago)
1 Araucana pullet that just came into lay
3 mixed hens (that he's been with since before I got them a year ago)

There's also 3 araucana pullets and 4 barred rock pullets that are not laying yet (25 and 22 weeks now, respectively), so he doesn't think of them as 'his'.

I have a friend who will take him and give him a good home. I'd like to see my young Araucana roo take over the flock (he's 25 weeks), and most of the hens seem to tolerate him and he doesn't act like a total jerk like the other teenage roos I have that are invited to a friend's house for dinner.

My problem is that Boss is a real gentleman, and I know nice roos are hard to come by. Then hens trust him, but he is hard on them because he is so heavy. I'd like to have just an Araucana in charge because then I get the fertile eggs I want for when the hens go broody. Do I let Boss go or try to keep Boss and the Araucana? If I get rid of Boss will the hens miss him and stop laying? It's autumn here, so if they stop laying they may not resume until spring. Is a 25 week rooster too young to win the hens over?

So complicated! I don't want to take Boss away if it's going to cause the hens to stop laying or if there are problems with a 25 week old roo attempting to take over.

HELP! I truly need advice from people with more rooster experience than what I have!
Thanks,
Tamara

 

[HEChicken]

The hens won't stop laying when you change cock birds - I really think they could care less and some report happier flocks without one at all (though I prefer to have one as a flock leader and protector myself).

And, in my experience, good cock birds aren't that hard to come by - I've only had one bad one and the others have been respectful to me AND good leaders and protectors. I was in a similar situation to you recently, not that my flock leader was retirement aged (he was only 8 months old) but that I didn't need him for my breeding program, and couldn't see feeding an extra mouth just because he was a good bird. Fortunately, a friend wanted him and he fits right into her breeding program so I did rehome him. I have eaten my share of birds but really didn't want to do that with this guy because he was a well-bred Welsummer and worth more alive than in the stew pot.

So - my advice to you would be to rehome your older cock bird, if you are confident he will have a good home where he is going.

 

[Mrs. K]

Just when you think the decision was made easy..... the other side.

A 25 week old roo, will be a mating machine, so you will have fertile eggs. But a roo really does not come into his own, as a flock leader with other responsibilities other than getting some until they are close to a year old. When roos get to be a year old, I really like them much better, if they are gentlemanly.

If you let them free range, they do better with a mature cock. Now, for a moment I forgot that you are going into fall, as I am going into spring. If you like me, have your hens more penned up during the fall/winter time period, as the days are short, this is an ideal time to make the switch. By the time spring gets there, and days get longer, and the free ranging gets longer, and therefore a bit farther from the coop/run, well your new boy will be old enough for the job.

good luck, MrsK

 

[Tamara119]

Good advice from both, thanks!


Just an hour ago the gardener took the three teenage barred rocks away, so I'm halfway through solving my problem. I'm still really on the fence with what to do now. I still have three 25-week Araucana roos:
Bunky—who had a neck injury and won't ever be a lead rooster, and I think I can keep him along with another roo so I don't count him.
Mo—the one I want to breed and to take over the flock.
Cocky—he really is. He's totally crazy and the hens hate him and seek shelter with Boss.

Of course, watching the hens run to Boss for safety makes me think I shouldn't take away their Boss. Fortunately Cocky is getting re-homed, to friends that want a rooster. Cocky just has to go no matter what. He really is extremely beautiful, but I don't want him partly because of his attitude and partly because he has really bad traits for an Araucana. Mo is a gentleman and hopefully will stay that when when he's fully mature, and the hens don't hate him as much as they hate Cocky.

They're not free-range, as there are way too many stray dogs around for that. They are in fairly large enclosures with occasional access to fenced in grassy areas. I have two coops and two runs, with a hole in the fence between them. I suppose I can get rid of Cocky and close the hole in the fence leaving Boss with his girls on one side, and all the other teenagers on the other side. This would give Mo more time to mature, and later in the winter I can re-home Boss and reopen the fence so they can be one big flock again.

Thanks for the feedback, it has helped!

 

[Mrs. K]

Having them fenced apart, but next to each other, has led to some horrible fights as the hormones kick in. ... just beware

 

[aart]

Good advice from both, thanks!


Just an hour ago the gardener took the three teenage barred rocks away, so I'm halfway through solving my problem. I'm still really on the fence with what to do now. I still have three 25-week Araucana roos:
Bunky—who had a neck injury and won't ever be a lead rooster, and I think I can keep him along with another roo so I don't count him.
Mo—the one I want to breed and to take over the flock.
Cocky—he really is. He's totally crazy and the hens hate him and seek shelter with Boss.

Of course, watching the hens run to Boss for safety makes me think I shouldn't take away their Boss. Fortunately Cocky is getting re-homed, to friends that want a rooster. Cocky just has to go no matter what. He really is extremely beautiful, but I don't want him partly because of his attitude and partly because he has really bad traits for an Araucana. Mo is a gentleman and hopefully will stay that when when he's fully mature, and the hens don't hate him as much as they hate Cocky.

They're not free-range, as there are way too many stray dogs around for that. They are in fairly large enclosures with occasional access to fenced in grassy areas. I have two coops and two runs, with a hole in the fence between them. I suppose I can get rid of Cocky and close the hole in the fence leaving Boss with his girls on one side, and all the other teenagers on the other side. This would give Mo more time to mature, and later in the winter I can re-home Boss and reopen the fence so they can be one big flock again.

Thanks for the feedback, it has helped!

Was wondering if this might be an option.

 

[Tamara119]

Having them fenced apart, but next to each other, has led to some horrible fights as the hormones kick in. ... just beware

Oh dear. The two runs share a considerable amount of fence. Deep down I know I should just send Boss to a new home, and yet, I like the old boy. (And so do the hens!)
Sigh.

 

[bobbi-j]

So... you're wanting to get rid of the current boss rooster who is not human aggressive and a "gentleman" to your hens and this is a known factor because why? Personally, I'd keep the one I know and like over an unknown factor. Maybe you could get some more hens to take some of the pressure off the ones you currently have? Just my opinion. You'll have to do what you think is best for your flock.

 

[Tamara119]

Well, part of the reason for wanting to retire Boss is because I want to breed the Araucanas. It's a lot simpler to just have an Araucana rooster than to deal with two roosters and switching around the hens. Mo shows signs of being a good rooster; he already tries to call others over when he's found something good to eat. In the future I will want the separate run/coop for some Marans I'm getting, at which time I will have to retire Boss anyways because I would need a Maran rooster on one side and the Araucana rooster on the other. Sigh. Am I making simple things complicated? Yes, of course I am!

 

[HEChicken]

It sounds pretty reasonable to me! I take the same approach with my flock, that contains a mix of breeds. I plan to breed a particular line and rather than build a bunch of breeder pens, separate them all out and have multiple roosters, I have one head cock bird who runs with the whole flock and I will only incubate the eggs of the hens that are the same breed he is. That way I am incubating pure bred eggs while only having one coop and flock to care for, and I can enjoy a mix of breeds and egg colors among my hens.