Bachelor pad for Roo's?

[MareeZoCool]

I'd guess most people won't keep extra roos unless they're growing them for future Sunday dinners. If you do decide to raise some roos, you could always run an ad on Craig's list or your local newspaper. full-grown roosters seem to be desired.(by new chicken owners) and experienced chkn. people need a roo now & again, you just might fill a void with those roos.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

We do have one from time to time and the only problem we ever had was once the pecking order get set up in the pad you can't add any other roo's to the mix. When we did they went crazy attacking the newcomer.

Steve

 

[triggfamily5]

I was looking for a positive outcome on this

I have at least 7 roo's in my chicks (total 40) and possible 2-3 more (I hope that's it). I was really hoping if I kept the roo's on one side of the yard, and the hens on the other, I could rotate the roo's out with the hens for breeding. From the way it sounds, that is not an option...

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I have three who are in a bachelor pad - one was a single hatch and 4 weeks later I added two new hatches to his brooder. The boys will be a year this fall (sept. and oct.).

They are in one of our horse pastures - one side of the fence also borders the coop/run and our yard. So the "boys" can pace the fence, see the girls and try to attract them. Our head Roo Versace also walks/patrols the fence and sometimes we do have fence squabbles.

The three get along fairly well, have had two days where I had to put a boy in time out (tree well 4x4 fenced area around tree to keep horses from eating tree) - but for the most part they are friends.


Every once in a very geat while, one of the boys manages to escape the pasture and run around the yard. It is a funny site - the boy will chase a hen, Versace will start after the boy and the boy will change direction heading straight for me! I quickly scoop up the boy and Versace checks his hen.


Eventually the coops will be finished and the boys separated and placed with hens.

 

[Tala]

I put upwards of 17 roos in my bachelor pad for 3-4 days last week. Including Mr Red my 1-year old flock master. The others ranged from 15+ weeks down to about 9 weeks. Mr Red was actually pretty easygoing with them, as they are still young yet. He called to them for scratch like hens, lol, but he also kept them in line.
I think we have more day to day dog vs. Mr Red squabbles than we had rooster vs cockerel squabbles, even in tight quarters. As of now, there is some fence re-construction going on and everybody is back out in the yard together again.

I still feel like I'm learning from their interactions, so I have no experience to offer other than what I've seen so far.

So far, it's working out fine.

 

[The Lisser]

Howdy, I subscribed to this topic because it looks like the majority of my little flock are turning out to be roos.

I got my chicks because I wanted some critters that would eat bugs in my pastures (I have livestock) so it doesn't matter to me if they are roosters or hens that eat the bugs - I just don't want rooster warfare.

I am thinking about making a chicken tractor for my sweet little silkie mix roo and the few hens - and letting the other roos have the coop and free-range. From what I've read on this thread, it sounds like it might work?

Thanks,
Melissa

 

[muell112]

does anyone have pictures they could post of their rooster bachelor pads? I have 3 polish roosters that have been living together for over a year now (+13 hens) and I came home and the dominant one's got an injured eye and is terrified of the sub-dominant one now. I'm thinking about separating him and the least dominant ones from the hens. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks!

 

[Tala]

Well here is an inside view of the "spa" in the mancave.

My bachelor pad is a little on the small side really for the number of roos that I ended up with this spring

it's made of 2 cattle panels and some scraps of welded wire - based around a tree for shade. They have some old stumps and logs in there for bugs and roosting on, plus I set them up with 2 -2x4's for roosts. There is a section with a tarp roof for when it rains, and some shadecloth on the west side for afternoon shade, and the rest has plastic "bird netting" to keep them in and others out. Before I put up the bird netting I had a couple of fly-outs (not surprising) and a pullet that FLEW IN!!!!!!! LOL


ETA: A new general pic from tonight:

 

[my3chickens]

I know you will think I'm crazy for asking but.... has anyone ever gotten a rooster neutered? I only have 3 chickens, 9 weeks old, and I believe I may have ended up with 2 roosters. At this point they are like pets and I can't fathom getting rid of one who could end up being dinner for someone. I've read that you can neuter a rooster but have never spoken to anyone that has done this before, just wondering if it is worth it...

 

[flgardengirl]

I have a bunch of blue and black copper marans and blue ameraucana roos that grew up together. I am putting them in a bachelor pad that we are building right now. I already keep them in a separate pen from the hens but it isn't permanent. DH is in process of building them a rustic looking bachelor pad lol to suit the manly style. Least with a bachelor pad you don't have to make a nest box

I will post some pics when it is done. Mine do fight some right now among themselves because in thier temporary pen they can still see the hens....nothing really horrible. I had a roo from another pen (group) get in there though and those roos went for blood! He ended up being okay because I was there to stop it. I can see I could never incorporate another roo that that wasn't a hatchmate into that group.
I am going to rehome probaby about 5 of them, but will keep the other 6 depending on how it goes lol.