alot of roosters-good job?

[dinahmoe]

i have a large run and coop for my hens.a 10x20 covered yard and a 6x10 coop.these are my layers,seniors and hens that i am not breeding at the moment.i have around there are around 20-25 in there at a time(this changes depending on who is breeding pens).i don't keep roosters inside with them.i do have 9 free range roosters who all get along and roost together.i let the girls out 1-2 a week to free range and the roosters have alot of fun.after about 5 minutes of sorting,they break off into flocks of 3-4.i don't like some of the roosters just becuase they are too rough with the girls but i would think the girls can get away if they wanted too and most do.

i wanted to get rid of some of the roosters so i put an ad on craigslist the other day.
that same day,i was outside in the yard and heard unhappy chickens.i went out there and there was a hawk standing in the middle of 6 big,very angry roosters.he left in a hurry with no hen or rooster and no damage one to any of them.

now i am second guessing keeping the roosters.if i had only 1 or 2 roosters like i would have if they were penned together,i might have lost someone.

what do you guys think about the way i am doing it?
9 roosters seem like a lot but really when they break off it is 1 roo and 3-4 hens.or is it better to have permanent flock roosters.

when i put the girls up at night most of the boys go to "their" roost outside but a couple try to sneak a night in.lol

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I would have loved to see that hawk surrounded by angry roosters.

It is a tough call. If the hens are not showing wear and tear, you may not have to get rid of roosters. Or perhaps you can just get rid of the roughest ones.

 

[dinahmoe]

the hens all look good because they are not constantly with them.
you guys know how it is,somedays you love your roosters and other days you want to hit them with a shovel(JK).

i just don't know

thanks for the advice
D

 

[bnjrob]

I don't see a problem if they are doing so well. You obviously are doing great with rotations and such. I think most recommendations for minimal amount of boys in the flock is fighting between them, excess injury to the girls, or because most people don't want to feed roosters because they are looking for a more tangible return on their investment in their chickens such as eggs or meat. If you are cool with how things are and they will scare a hawk...it doesn't sound bad to me at all.