Bachelor Pad Ideas

[YgritteChick]

I bought straight run chicks in May and now am faced with too many cockerels, as one might expect. I am toying with the idea of trying to keep them for awhile, either to see how they grow up and then decide if I want to keep any or just to keep them until they are big enough to butcher...and until I feel up to trying to butcher them. But they are fighting constantly and my flock isn't as happy as I would like it to be, so they need to be moved from the henhouse.

I would love any input about what other people have done in similar cases and what their bachelor pads are like. There wouldn't be any hens so no need for nest boxes? I'm not sure if I would keep any there through the winter so insulation probably doesn't need to be much of an issue? There would be between 2-6 cockerels in there although if I am building something I would probably want something that could work for like 10 birds just in case.

 

[Firekin1]

I have my roosters separate in another house of their own with roosts, no nest boxes. I found when they were together with the hens they fought way too much, and as they got older the fighting got more vicious because of competition for the hens. However in the house alone without a hen around they do just fine. But I have had some still attack and tear others apart...those I quickly put to the freezer as I have no patience for unruly roosters...I have no insulation in any of my birds houses as I use the deep litter method in winter and they all have pea combs so not much of a risk in frost bite. We have some pretty crappy winters here and I've yet to have a cold bird...lol

 

[RJSorensen]

Unwanted roosters always get a raw deal. But such is the business of keeping chickens. I would make something sort of nice, in as you can use it down the road for 'other' uses. But the minimum requirements for roos is or can be somewhat smaller than for general coop use, at 4 square feet per bird. You will need of course room for feed, water, roosts and some floor space, you might want to consider a small run as well. Especially if you think you might be able to repurpose this 'build' at some later point.

I have the same feelings, always wanting to know how they are going to feather up as grown birds. But in truth it most always ends up the same, freezer camp or giving them away if one can. A sad fate all in all…

Best to you and your birds,

RJ

 

[YgritteChick]

I have my roosters separate in another house of their own with roosts, no nest boxes. I found when they were together with the hens they fought way too much, and as they got older the fighting got more vicious because of competition for the hens. However in the house alone without a hen around they do just fine. But I have had some still attack and tear others apart...those I quickly put to the freezer as I have no patience for unruly roosters...I have no insulation in any of my birds houses as I use the deep litter method in winter and they all have pea combs so not much of a risk in frost bite. We have some pretty crappy winters here and I've yet to have a cold bird...lol

Thanks! The deep litter method sounds like a good idea

I have my roosters separate in another house of their own with roosts, no nest boxes. I found when they were together with the hens they fought way too much, and as they got older the fighting got more vicious because of competition for the hens. However in the house alone without a hen around they do just fine. But I have had some still attack and tear others apart...those I quickly put to the freezer as I have no patience for unruly roosters...I have no insulation in any of my birds houses as I use the deep litter method in winter and they all have pea combs so not much of a risk in frost bite. We have some pretty crappy winters here and I've yet to have a cold bird...lol

Unwanted roosters always get a raw deal. But such is the business of keeping chickens. I would make something sort of nice, in as you can use it down the road for 'other' uses. But the minimum requirements for roos is or can be somewhat smaller than for general coop use, at 4 square feet per bird. You will need of course room for feed, water, roosts and some floor space, you might want to consider a small run as well. Especially if you think you might be able to repurpose this 'build' at some later point.

I have the same feelings, always wanting to know how they are going to feather up as grown birds. But in truth it most always ends up the same, freezer camp or giving them away if one can. A sad fate all in all…

Best to you and your birds,

RJ

I agree with you that roosters get a raw deal, lol. But a part of life, I guess! Thanks for your response.