At What Age do Cockerels become Roos?

[sheilawagner]

Hi everyone,


A short and simple question, at what age do young cockerels (such as a cochin bantam) become roos, and stop getting along?

I have 4 Cochin bantam cockerels, and I love them all, but there will come a time when they stop loving each other and start beating up on each other.. does this happen for sure? I have a flock of 45 so there are enough hens to go around, and they free range all day, lots of space to run and escape unwanted male attention.

My worry is if I have to give up some of these cockerels, then I must prepare my heart emotionally so I don't feel too much pain when I have to cull them.

This is my gang of 4. They get along great now, at 4 months of age. They sleep, eat, guard, forage, explore all together, and I'm sad if they have to break up.

 

[serendipityfarm]

My two bantam cochins have been nest buddies, until now. They just turned 6 months and have started fighting

 

[gryeyes]

They may never fight, since they grew up together. They may only "show" fight to establish pecking order, with chest bumps and neck feather flaring and all that bother but without actual FIGHTING or blood-letting. They may tussle a bit if one of 'em tries to mate a favorite lady friend.

Or they just might decide to fight, who knows. Looking at the picture, I would have thought they'd already have been fighting by now, if they were gonna!

Now, to answer the question posed in the subject line: at one year. Officially.

Male chickens under 1 year of age are cockerels, those 1 year old or older are roosters.
Female chickens under one year of age are pullets, those 1 year old or older are hens. (However, most people simply call their pullets laying eggs "hens" because that's sexual maturity, not a calendar date.)

 

[chillmiller]

i have 4 ....( im guessing RIR's) and they all get along swimmingly and i dont free range (i would if i could but 7 large dogs think chickens are dinner) they all now there place and are well wussys making little girly noises and darting when i even go in my chicken tent let alone get near them

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

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