Beautiful twin white Cochins

[Redhead Rae]

Cockerels really need an older rooster or hens to keep them in line and teach them manners. Since you have neither they will most likely reek havoc. It's kind of like leaving teenagers unsupervised. Your life, your kids, and your pullets lives will be much less stressful if you rehome all of these cockerels or make them a grow-out pen. After all your pullets are older and laying then see about getting a rooster (if you want to) or putting one of yours back with them. Don't get me wrong, I love the dynamic our rooster brings to the flock. He is older though, at least 18 months, and even if he wasn't well mannered my Production Reds would keep him in line.

This is very true, my first batch of chickens were crazy, especially the rooster. Subsequent generations that were raised with adult birds around are much calmer and less vicious.

 

[Goldenrod1210]

They look like roosters to me.

 

[Cyprus]

Okay, I've read the whole thread and I'm going to chime in now.

First and foremost, your RIR rooster should NEVER be mating any hens or pullets who are not laying, period. You said he was mating before you even got any eggs. That is a big no no in my book. I would get rid of him.

Second, you said that one of your Cochins only started mating once you had a laying pullet and that he only mated that laying pullet. Good boy. And he stood guard while she laid. Even more of a good boy. I would keep that one.

The other Cochin I would rehome simply because you don't need two cockerels.

Hope that gives you the answers you are looking for.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Ok so one of my questions and concerns is the roosters should only be mating with laying hens? Because I asked this question before and the response I got was he's young he can be a little rough but he should calm down, it nature, he is doing his job and so on. First and for most I want to keep my girls safe and if he shouldn't be mating with them then I have a huge problem with that and the boys will go today! I only have 1 hen that is laying and she just started a few days ago. When he mates with them it's very violent and upsets use. But being new and told its natural we just turn our backs and cover our kids eyes. It just didn't look right to me!

Okay...let's look at "natural." Natural...as in nature in the natural wild.

If you have a flock in the wild, what behaviors would perpetuate the flock?

Mauling and harming the hens?

Breeding non-laying hens?

Obviously no. A flock that survives is one that protects itself. It would have a senior rooster that watches for predators and protects the hens, chicks and teens.

He would woo hens (watch those nature channel videos for all those mating dances) showing himself the superior rooster. He would chase off inferior roosters, proving he had superior genes. But overall he would keep the flock together safely to protect the ever important next generation.

Now lets take that wild bird and turn it into a domesticated one. We'll tinker and manipulate those genes for egg and meat production. Flock behavior is not tantamount to our goals.

What do you get?

You get some crazy roosters that don't treat hens well, fight anything in sight (oh yeah, remember all those cock fights that used to be so popular?), and don't have the overall flock health as their consideration.

You get people friendly chickens, as that is important in domestication, but you don't necessarily have bird friendly chickens. Large commercial industry cramps them together in small bins or individual cages trimming beaks so they can't harm each other. Because the purpose is meat and egg production.

The backyard owner has to sift through a lot of muddled genetics to get a flock that has the instincts of survival not crazy domesticated lot chicken.

So no. That is not "normal" behavior. It has become expected behavior by some used to being around commercially controlled genetic lines.

Good breeders only keep well behaved roosters and chickens because that is what benefits the flock. They also only keep people friendly birds because that benefits the backyard.

It is very possible. Good backyard breeders select for that.

My thoughts.
LofMc

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

View attachment 1512537



I just posted pictures

both are male.