Anyone Keep Multiple Roosters Successfully?

[AgnesGray]

We have about 15 roosters. Just added two full grown boys also. I've had a few that needed their own space and they're always very happy when that works out, but the majority of them work together. Each has their little group of adoring ladies. They work together to alert the flock of danger and do an amazing job. Breed does seem to matter. My worst have been silkies. Lol

 

[frostypenn]

10 X 10 is small for that many, even with one (or no) roosters. My book says 4 sq feet per bird. The rooster fighting depends more on the breed, or the particular rooster than it does on space. I've seen 2 roosters with fifteen hens very happy, but they could be let out when the owner was home. And I've had roosters fight to the death when there was plenty of room and plenty of hens because the new ones were just fighting roosters.

 

[Aunt Angus]

10 X 10 is small for that many, even with one (or no) roosters. My book says 4 sq feet per bird. The rooster fighting depends more on the breed, or the particular rooster than it does on space. I've seen 2 roosters with fifteen hens very happy, but they could be let out when the owner was home. And I've had roosters fight to the death when there was plenty of room and plenty of hens because the new ones were just fighting roosters.

My birds have room. My current coop is about 8x10. They have a 200sq ft covered run that opens onto a 1600 sq ft yard that is surrounded by electric netting and covered with heavy duty aviary netting. I can pretty easily expand that except it'll take some space from the goats (who lost part of their foraging area after an unprecedented snowstorm felled a dozen massive trees - we're still working on clearing those). I am building another 10x10 coop. I think that's pretty good for 20 chickens and 5 ducks.

ETA: The 25 sq ft duck house is available, too, and opens into the same run. I'm currently using that as a brooder because my ducks think they're chickens and sleep on the floor of the coop. Silly ducks.

So that's 80 + 200 + 1600 + 25 + 100 = 2005 sq ft
2005/20= 100.25 sq ft per bird

 

[Aunt Angus]

Just an update:

We started integration this week, but had to bring the babies in last 2 nights because the temps fell into the 20s and I'm out of town (my adult son is house and chicken, duck, dog, cat, and goat sitting). My current rooster has been great with them so far. I think he thinks they are his. He tidbits for them and walks behind them when they are out in the yard.

We made plans to start the new coop soon, but I'm super sick (vacationing with the flu = not fun). It probably won't happen for another couple of months, but the new cockerel is only a few weeks old, so hormones shouldn't be raging yet. I can always separate them by using the duck house, so I've got a Plan B.

I have 6 female chicks coming in early May. That'll give me the option of having 2 separate flocks: Picotee, my roo, with his 11 girls, and Cayenne with 7 girls. If it's not enough girls for Cayenne as he ages, I can always get more chickens. Darn.

I just realized that they are arriving during prom week. I'm the student activities director at the high school where I teach. Not great timing - lol! But I'm hoping my Silkies will be broody again and I can shove the chicks under them.

 

[SueT]

I have a junior and senior rooster, father and son. 10 hens. The junior was raised by his mom in a separate coop, as an only chick. She weaned him abruptly at 4 weeks and moved back to the main coop, as runs were connected. He eventually moved into the main coop as well, and has worked it out with the flock. He’ll be a year old next month. He does mate with the hens and papa usually ignores that. At times he’ll chase his son, but mainly they get along. They are both polite to humans. They seem to like us and are as friendly as the hens.
I am concerned about the rooster/hen ratio, but other than that, I see it is working out better than I could imagine. I don’t feel like killing this youngster when he is so good natured. The poultry swaps in our area have been cancelled due to bird flu. So for now, he stays.
Pic shows the 2 guys with 6 of the 10 hens.

 

[CrazyChicken Lady]

I’ve done more then one multiple times. I had 5 Roos at once. That’s my record. Right now I have two with about 20ish hens and two coops, also have a spacious run and they free range often. Not sure about square feet for all those. My OE rooster is in charge and I have a bantam roo as well. He is old and I’m planning on taking a EE mix cockeral this summer. It can be done

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have a junior and senior rooster, father and son. 10 hens. The junior was raised by his mom in a separate coop, as an only chick. She weaned him abruptly at 4 weeks and moved back to the main coop, as runs were connected. He eventually moved into the main coop as well, and has worked it out with the flock. He’ll be a year old next month. He does mate with the hens and papa usually ignores that. At times he’ll chase his son, but mainly they get along. They are both polite to humans. They seem to like us and are as friendly as the hens.
I am concerned about the rooster/hen ratio, but other than that, I see it is working out better than I could imagine. I don’t feel like killing this youngster when he is so good natured. The poultry swaps in our area have been cancelled due to bird flu. So for now, he stays.
Pic shows the 2 guys with 6 of the 10 hens.
View attachment 3060631

I love funky Spitz roosters! So pretty!

 

[Sai]

I have read lots of bad situations with multiple roosters. I just want to be as close to 100% sure as possible before I decide what to do.

I have an established flock of 8 hens, 3 laying pullets, and 1 rooster, mixed ages (8 months - 3.5 years).

I have two 2-week old chicks (a pullet and a cockerel) in the brooder.

I am expecting an order of 6 female chicks in early May. The final ratio would be 2 males:18 females.

I will have a 10x10 coop ready before the current 2 in the brooder are ready to go outside. I will also have a 1600+ sq ft yard for them. Free ranging is not possible here due to huuuuge predator load.

I would *like* to keep both males, but I know that invites a whole host of potential problems. And I want to do right by all the birds involved.

1) In your folks' experience, is that a big enough area to help alleviate issues?

2) is it even possible for 2 unrelated boys to cohabitate?

3) Would having separate coops help? I am not keen on building another, but I can, or I can try dividing the 10x10.

4) Or should I just rehome one of the males? (Full disclosure: I don't eat my chickens) I realize whoever gets one will probably turn him into soup.

Any advice/input would be hugely appreciated.

I'm pretty new and it took me a lot of effort to find a rooster. That rooster was nice. Then i gave him hens and he was very mean. He went to the stew. I found more roosters and kept two. They are nicer. One rooster has only 4 hens and one has 8. The one with 4 hens tries to go for the other rooster's hens sometimes but nobody is fighting to the death or bloodying each other up. They both have their own coops (in close proximity to each other).

 

[All4Eggz]

We have about 15 roosters. Just added two full grown boys also. I've had a few that needed their own space and they're always very happy when that works out, but the majority of them work together. Each has their little group of adoring ladies. They work together to alert the flock of danger and do an amazing job. Breed does seem to matter.

I've had a very similar experience with roos!
I only have about 6 roos right now, all living fine together. Most of them are bantams. The bantams seem to be the most dominant for some reason, lol.

 

[Tonyroo]

Well I was hoping father and son can live reasonably peaceful with the hens. The son was almost a year old now and dad is almost 3 years old. But yesterday nearing dusk, the son challenged the dad and dad lost. I heard a weird noise and ran out to see what the commotion was about. That's when I found dad injured hiding his head in between some logs and son was on top of the log. Both bloodied, I quickly picked up dad and ran to the bathroom to patch and clean him up. I left the son in the yard. When it got dark I culled the son and tended to the dad's well being. Ah well, lesson learned.