Are 2 roosters too much for 13 hens?

[Freia]

I have 2 gorgeous 8 month old Langshan roosters protecting my 13 hens. They are brothers, and aside from an occasional stand-off with each other (a "you want a piece of THIS" look), they do not fight.

Can this work out, or should I reduce to just one?

The reason I have 2, is because my first rooster got eaten by a coyote while defending the flock, then my next one got dive-bombed by a hawk, so I figured if I get 2, then if one gets attacked, the other can attack the attacker. I don't know if this has actually worked or not, but I can say that I've suffered no more losses since getting these 2 gentlemen.

I do want some backyard chicks, but one clutch a year is plenty for me. No breeding program going on here.

Aside from double the crowing (which I don't really mind) they have a few favorite hens, and these are losing their neck-feathers. those hens also get chased around a bit. I'm concerned that I may not have enough hens to keep everyone happy.I don't want my girls getting tired and bald.

So far, neither rooster has displayed any aggression to anyone or anything (though I understand that typically shows up a bit later?), and they're both good boys.

If I were to get rid of one, which would be better to keep - the dominant one or the non-dominant one?

 

[Wyandottes7]

Two roosters may be able to live together in a 13-hen flock. If the hens start getting more beat up, you'll need to get rid of one. Some neck feathers missing isn't much to worry about, but you don't want the hens to be miserable.

If you were to keep one rooster, I don't think it would matter whether you picked the dominant or the submissive one. If you remove one of the roosters, the other rooster will become dominant, so you won't have gained anything. I would pick the bird that is nicest to you and the hens, or the prettiest one.

Agressiveness can show up at any age. When they are adolescents (around 6-12 months old), they often get a little more unruly. So, if your roosters aren't acting mean now, they will likely turn out to be good boys.

 

[Freia]

Quote: This made me giggle. Yes, I know adolescents are exactly what they are, but it's funny how like any other adolescents they are:

They do such a beautiful courtship dance: drag one wing, hop on one leg, hop on the other, 'round and 'round the hen we go...
The other one watches, picks a hen and does the same. "Oh you like his dance, well check out my dance. My feet are bigger than his feet. I can dance longer. Look at me, look at meeeeeee. No don't look at him".

Then they walk happily next to each other, when one suddenly stretches tall:
I'm taller than you
Yes, but I have a longer tail... until they're both on their tippy-toes.
Wanna fight, do ya?
No, not really
Meh. Me neither.
Oh look - a bug!

 

[lazy gardener]

This made me giggle. Yes, I know adolescents are exactly what they are, but it's funny how like any other adolescents they are:

They do such a beautiful courtship dance: drag one wing, hop on one leg, hop on the other, 'round and 'round the hen we go...
The other one watches, picks a hen and does the same. "Oh you like his dance, well check out my dance. My feet are bigger than his feet. I can dance longer. Look at me, look at meeeeeee. No don't look at him".

Then they walk happily next to each other, when one suddenly stretches tall:
I'm taller than you
Yes, but I have a longer tail... until they're both on their tippy-toes.
Wanna fight, do ya?
No, not really
Meh. Me neither.
Oh look - a bug!

 

[crazyfeathers]

Lol too funny

 

[Bullitt]

I have 2 gorgeous 8 month old Langshan roosters protecting my 13 hens. They are brothers, and aside from an occasional stand-off with each other (a "you want a piece of THIS" look), they do not fight.

Can this work out, or should I reduce to just one?

The reason I have 2, is because my first rooster got eaten by a coyote while defending the flock, then my next one got dive-bombed by a hawk, so I figured if I get 2, then if one gets attacked, the other can attack the attacker. I don't know if this has actually worked or not, but I can say that I've suffered no more losses since getting these 2 gentlemen.

I do want some backyard chicks, but one clutch a year is plenty for me. No breeding program going on here.

Aside from double the crowing (which I don't really mind) they have a few favorite hens, and these are losing their neck-feathers. those hens also get chased around a bit. I'm concerned that I may not have enough hens to keep everyone happy.I don't want my girls getting tired and bald.

So far, neither rooster has displayed any aggression to anyone or anything (though I understand that typically shows up a bit later?), and they're both good boys.

If I were to get rid of one, which would be better to keep - the dominant one or the non-dominant one?

If the roosters are pulling out too many feathers, you can buy hen saddles to protect the hens.

Do you have any pictures of your chickens that you can post here? I know I and others would enjoy seeing your flock.

 

[Freia]

If the roosters are pulling out too many feathers, you can buy hen saddles to protect the hens.

Do you have any pictures of your chickens that you can post here? I know I and others would enjoy seeing your flock.

Good idea, the saddles. Especially since it's only 3 of the hens that are so favored that they're losing feathers. I find it very interesting that the 3 "chosen ones" are the 3 hens that tend to go broody. The roosters definitely know which ones are the best potential mothers.

I don't have any fresh pictures of my flock since the 2 bodyguards joined the ranks. Tomorrow is going to be a beautiful day. I'll get some fresh pictures and post them. I need to get pics of the pretty boys. Last time I grabbed my camera to take a picture of my beautiful rooster, I went out there with the camera only to find a hawk sitting on top of him, so it kind of ruined the moment.

 

[Freia]

Aha. just enough daylight left to get some family portraits.

This is Theodore (aka Octavius) with Molly the Brahma. They're a bonded pair. She was bonded to my original rooster (coyote-bait) too, mourned horribly, and glommed right onto Octavius.


Frederick (aka Brutus) He's the dominant lad.


Brutus with his 3 favorites - the brown partridge cochin, the wheaton ameracauna, and the mottled java.


Tag-teaming body-guards.












Butt-shot. Can't help it. I like chicken-butts.


Guess that breed:
2 Langshan roosters
1 Mottled Java
1 Wheaton Ameracauna
1 something or other Ameracauna
1 Wellsummer
1 Black sex-link
1 Dark Brahma
1 buff Wyandotte
1 Golden Laced Wyandotte
1 Bklue Cochin
1 brown partridge cochin
1 buff cochin
1 Iowa Blue
And I just realized that's only 12 hens. Had to euthanize my turken last night. Even worse then. Only 12 hens for 2 roosters.

 

[Bullitt]

Wow, you have a nice variety of breeds.

I count six hens in the favorites picture with Brutus.

Isn't Langshan supposed to be the tallest breed of chicken?

 

[Freia]

Wow, you have a nice variety of breeds.

I count six hens in the favorites picture with Brutus.

Isn't Langshan supposed to be the tallest breed of chicken?

So many cool breeds, so hard to choose. So.... one of each.

Only the 3 hens in the front of the pic are Brutus' favorites. Make no mistake, he likes them all, but those 3 definitely have a special status.

I believe the Langshan rooster is one of the tallest. I've read they can be 24"-32" tall at maturity. Luckily, they're also supposed to be one of the most docile breeds. I've never heard of an aggressive Langshan rooster, though I'm sure there's a large range of temperaments.I chose them for their temperament, since I have kids. Aggression is not an option.