Bachelor roosters?

[Kiwiheather]

Hi everyone.. I rescued my first two chickens about 31/2 months ago...so cute ... fuzzy little babies! I have recently discovered I have two Roos! (By byc folks ) apparently they are a buff cochin and Mille de fluer duucle. They are snuggled down together as I type this and seem pretty happy together. My big question is...should I get them hens? The closest place I have found is an hour drive away for red star or rir hens that are laying. My coop is 5x8 and 6' high with various roosts and I let them free range at least 2 hours a day when i can supervise..What is your opinion ? Will they be happy as Bachelors or should I get them hens and how many? If its better for them I don't really care about eggs (although it would be nice) but I am not sure I have the space and also would hens make them fight? They already chest bump lol! Thanks for any advice!!

 

[Illia]

Chickens are very social creatures. They might do fine, they might get pretty bored and girl-deprived, they might get tired of each other.

I have several boys in a bachelor pad but everyone at some point gets a hen or two or three or four. They do get along great in the mean time though, as long as I don't introduce a new rooster.

 

[Kiwiheather]

Quote:
So I should get hens??

 

[slim1986]

If it were me, I would get a few hens, but again, that's just my opinion, and I've heard its 8 hens to 1 rooster, but we've done just fine with 8 hens for 2 roosters, and like Illia said, they might get bored with each other and feel girl-deprived if at all possible get some hens of the same breeds, if not that's ok too!

 

[Manningjw]

Quote:
So I should get hens??

If you do, I vote the Red Stars. Wow is ours a producer!

Ultimately it should be what you want. You are set on keeping the Roos regardless correct? If you want to have more chickens (like most of us here....) go get those hens! I have heard that roos for only a few hens can be a lot of stress on the girls so you might have to figure out a system of keeping them separated at times.