Advice On Which Rooster to cull

[FarmerGirlz]

HI! I have a golden-laced wyandotte flock of 11( 2roos, 9 hens) and I have an issue withe hens being over mated and they are losing their feathers.I did try an apron for one hen, but it kept coming off. I do intend to make more though. They are looking terrible! The roosters are different ages (I didn't learn till later that you shouldn't pen birds of different ages together). One I am not sure on his age, but he seems fairly old and the other is from last years hatching. The older one is the alpha and bigger, but the other one is younger. I would actually like to sell my birds because I am considering going away to school, but would like to get them in better shape before I attempt it. Which rooster would be a better idea to cull? By the way, of the hens, 2 are older ones that I got with the older rooster, and 7 are last years hatch like the younger rooster.

 

[gamebirdsonly]

You could put both roos in a pen so they don't have any access to the hens giving them a break. Usually the younger roos are more aggressive when comes to breeding. Or get rid of both if your not planning on hatching the eggs.

 

[FarmerGirlz]

You could put both roos in a pen so they don't have any access to the hens giving them a break. Usually the younger roos are more aggressive when comes to breeding. Or get rid of both if your not planning on hatching the eggs.

No, not hatching this year, just trying to sell. I put the younger rooster in his own pen now. I am also going to try to trim the older roosters spurs as well (his are getting long). Thank you for your help!

 

[Mrs. K]

Unfortunately, your birds feathers will not grow back till after the fall molt. Just so you know.

Mrs K

 

[chickens really]

Anyone that knows Chickens will buy them even if a bit over bred looking....Lots of people want to buy an established flock....Just include the to Roosters as free....

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree with the above. People who are unused to chickens are rather horrified by bare backs. People who know chickens understand that this is a common outcome. Some hens loose their feathers more easily. It bothers people more than it bothers hens.

Mrs K

 

[ZachyWachy]

If you aren't free ranging them then you might try to separate them and give both roosters some hens, otherwise, I can't really help you.
I'm sorry but I have my own question. I have a mature black australorp rooster that is mean, but has learned to respect humans, even though you have to keep an eye on him. On the other hand, a friend has an extra americauna rooster that is just a few months old.
I kind of want to try to raise the americauna and then cull the first rooster and put in the hopefully nicer americauna. However, the australorp is doing a great job of caring for the hens and looks amazing, plus I hate the idea of getting rid of him so soon because I got him for breeding and accepted that he might be mean. I just feel like I am betraying him. What do you guys think? Grumpy Australorp? Or hopeful Americauna?

 

[FarmerGirlz]

If you aren't free ranging them then you might try to separate them and give both roosters some hens, otherwise, I can't really help you.
I'm sorry but I have my own question. I have a mature black australorp rooster that is mean, but has learned to respect humans, even though you have to keep an eye on him. On the other hand, a friend has an extra americauna rooster that is just a few months old.
I kind of want to try to raise the americauna and then cull the first rooster and put in the hopefully nicer americauna. However, the australorp is doing a great job of caring for the hens and looks amazing, plus I hate the idea of getting rid of him so soon because I got him for breeding and accepted that he might be mean. I just feel like I am betraying him. What do you guys think? Grumpy Australorp? Or hopeful Americauna?

Would your friend let you wait a bit and see how the Americauna does in her flock once he gets a bit older? They are very pretty birds for sure. Are you pure breeding, or looking to breed certain traits into your chickens?

 

[FarmerGirlz]

Now one of my hens has a bad wound that I have to figure out how to help. I don't have a very big first aid kit. Not sure if it was another hen but could be my roos claws or spurs. The older one really needs his trimmed. I have separated her.

 

[ZachyWachy]

Would your friend let you wait a bit and see how the Americauna does in her flock once he gets a bit older? They are very pretty birds for sure. Are you pure breeding, or looking to breed certain traits into your chickens?

I am just putting a rooster in so that we can hatch our own chicks. Although it would be nice to breed them to be better for our area, which has hot summers and mild to harsh winters. I think that I am going to get him and see how nice he is compared to the other rooster(I will be giving him special attention so that he hopefully grows up nice), and decide who becomes dinner from there. Maybe I can convince them to let the two roosters have access to the flock at once and see how it works out and use that to help decide as well, but I am not sure.