Bantam flock with multiple roosters and cockrels

[janiedoe]

All is good right now. I have 3 flocks roaming the yard. Goliath, big standard brahma mix, and 27 standard hens of various heritage.
Porter, my little oegb, 3 hens, 4 ( 12 to 15 weeks) pullets, 2 (12 week old) cockerels, and 2 chicks (1 of each gender, I believe.
Mr. Biggs, a frizzle cochin, 3 hens, 9 to 11 weeks -7 pullets, 5 cockerels, 2 chicks (I believe 1 of each gender)
Mr. Biggs can be a jerk towards the other roosters, but mostly hides from them. So I believe he is just a fearful sneaky bully.
I have a gang of 4 cockerels 16 weeks old in a pen of their own due to unseemingly behavior. They have not impressed me. They were harassing my oldest hen, my smallest hens, and Mr. Porter doesn't care for them at all. They will probably be leaving the flock.
I've had to break up two fights/shuffles. Both were due to hens trying to invade others' territories/nests. The roosters got involved but were easily redirected.
I'll keep updating.

 

[janiedoe]

Things are still going well.

Porter (the oegb) and his sons, PJ & Ebenezer are wonderful. They will protect all the females, of all flocks, when they are being harassed by the younger cockerels. A cochin mix frizzle boy is housed with them. He is a bit of a loner but doesn't bother any of the pullets or hens.

Goliath (the huge brahma mix rooster) is also good about protecting his own and the bantam girls. He doesn't give chase, but if they run to him, he'll run the cockerels away.

Mr. Biggs (frizzle cochin) is okay but not great. He protects his cochin hen and a mixed hen. Otherwise he let's his boys run wild.

The big coop was a little chaotic in the evenings. I've had to seperate two of the boys from the main flock for almost a week. Last night I let them roost in there again and they behaved. I hope they've learned a lesson, but experience tells me I'll need to keep a close eye on them.

 

[janiedoe]

This worked for a while 3 Marans roosters and 4 hens. Major left Oswald to look after the hens and the other rooster wandered off somewhere never to be seen again. This was Tribe 1 a long time ago. they all lived together and were all related but in what way I don't know.
View attachment 3540708
This is Tribe 2, all bantams of various mixtures. They were all related Grandfather, Father and son. No problems between the males really. Grandfather and the senior hen Bluespot wouldn't put up with any nonsense.
Number of hens varied from 3 to 7.
View attachment 3540709

That gives me hope.

 

[GregnLety]

I have 2 bantam flocks with multiple roosters in each. The subs know the doms and there's rarely a uproar.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

I started my bantam flocks last year. I currently have two flocks with multiple chicks and teens, and more on the way. (Raised by broodies)
I'd like to keep some of my new male chicks.
I want to know how y'all manage your flocks with multiple bantam roosters.

I'm interested in knowing:
1. how many roosters/cockerels you keep per hen/pullet.
2. How old they are.
3. What breeds they are.
4. Whether they are housed together, ranged together, or kept seperately at all times.

I have roughly a 30 bantam mixed flock. I run about 3-4 roosters with the hens. So that’s about 7 hens per roo. Sometimes I have more roosters in with the ladies. This flock is 5yrs-1yr.
When breeding my pure beeds (Silkie, D’Uccles, OEB, Jap, Brown Red Mottled D’Uccles) I have 1 rooster per 4 hens. Mostly bc I only have 4 hens to go with that particular rooster. Ages very
I also keep a bantam bachelor pen for any roosters I plan to sell or a not using to breed at the time. Age is very

 

[janiedoe]

I know this is bantams, but I am having issues with 6 almost year old cockerels plus the 3 juveniles (cockerels) there are two favorite hens that get way more attention than others. One Goldie separates her self from the group the other I had to put in with the grow outs.

Are bantams different? If so, really hope so. Would like to keep a cochin, oegb and sebright cockerel if its possible. They where all raised together with large fowl. The large fowl cockerels are becoming a problem tho they keep trying to mount anything that moves. They will be moved out soon once the new pen goes up this Wednesday.

I feel like the bantams are easier to manage and that they get along with each other better. Also, my standard rooster is much more tolerant of them. I'm only planning to keep one standard and the rest bantam from here on out. The summer heat is just too hard on my large flock so I'm going to stop hatching standards.

 

[fuzzi]

I got a straight run of bantams, Speckled Sussex. I wound up with 7 cockerels and 3 pullets, so I ordered sexed bantam Dominiques. I knew that the pullets were going to get worn out, not to mention having possible fights between the cockerels, so I rehomed all but the two best looking Sussex cockerels.

I now have 2 roos (18 weeks old) and 7 pullets (18 and 12 weeks old). They seem to get along.

Tonight one of the roos (Samuel) grabbed a Dominique pullet by the neck and attempted to mount. She was screeching, trying to get away when the other roo (Joel) grabbed Samuel by the neck and mounted HIM!

Samuel then screeched, broke away, and ran.

Joel has just demonstrated who is top roo.

And peace has returned to the flock. For now.

If the roos can't coexist I will rehome one.

Two months later...the Sussex are almost 7 months old, Dominiques are 5 1/2 months.

Joel is still Top Roo.

Samuel is still coexisting.

The pullets are laying.

I'm hoping the harmony continues.

 

[janiedoe]

Here are some photos of the other flock(s)
Mr. Biggs, the red frizzle cochin is the father of all but one (she hatched from Porter's girls)
Biggs isn't very good at keeping his flock together. I think Junior will head his flock when he is older.

Mr. Biggs in the foreground, Junior Biggs in the background. They roost together.

Above: 4 mo+ cockerel Horton & sister, Red Who (Falina's hatch)
These two stick close to Junior's flock

Junior's flock (not including the 4mo olds) has 3 pullets and 3 cockerels. They are 5.5 months old.

The mama hens. Almost always broody. L to R Melinda, Salina, Falina

Salina hatched this group of 2 males & 4 females (plus a female that is permanently indoors due to a crippling injury)
They stay together and roost seperately. There are 3 frizzle females, one smooth female, and two smooth males.

 

[janiedoe]

And just because he is so handsome and sweet, here's Goliath

Goliath's father, Doris died last spring. He was an excellent rooster but did not get along with other roosters. Goliath's grandmother, Lucy 8yo Langshan, his hatch mother, Maris 6yo, and his
bio mother, Lil'Beth 4yo all live with him.
His latest daughter, Doris (named for grandfather) lives with her bantam mama. She is part welsummer.

She looks blue partridge as does her aunt, Cookie, and her half sister, Flower.

Cookie, foreground and Flower, in the nest

 

[fluffycrow]