Beautiful twin white Cochins

[Redhead Rae]

I knew it from the beginning! Anna and Else are Sven and Kristoff lol. I can't believe out of 12 hens we only have 9! Thank you all for your help! Now I have another question. Why don't the boys fight? My RIR is very dominant!

Cochins are slower maturing and are usually more laid back. Last January (2017), I got the guy in my avatar as a "free rare chick" with my Buffs. He didn't start crowing until 1.5 months ago when I rehomed my dominant rooster.

 

[Tslauson]

So I have 9 hens. How many roosters should I keep? I do NOT plan on hatching any. We are just looking for pets and eggs. My 2 daughter 3 and 4 years old love to help care for them. But are not allowed near the chickens when Big Red is around. I'm sure he would do anything to protect his ladies. But he is a good looking Roo! And I love to watch the white Cochins run around the yard! What should I do?

 

[Tslauson]

And why is no roo mating with the black or the blue Cochin?

 

[Tslauson]

If your Rhode Island Red is really dominant that is probably your answer. It may not last forever though, cockerels can be very unpredictable at that age. You may have a plan in place just in case, hopefully you won't need it! There is still a very good chance that even if they continue to get along with 9 pullets and 3 large fowl cockerels your pullets are going to be overmated.

What happens then?

 

[KikiLeigh02]

If you don't want chicks, you really don't need any roosters. Personally, I would probably pick one to keep, or get rid of all three. Are your black & blue Cochins laying yet? If not, that may be the reason. Overmated pullets/hens will have feather loss, and potential injuries like spurring.

 

[Redhead Rae]

And why is no roo mating with the black or the blue Cochin?

They probably aren't mature enough yet. I got some Blue Cochins on Valentines day and they are just starting to lay. Good roosters won't mate with immature pullets.

 

[Gray Farms]

If your not going to hatch eggs I wouldn't keep a rooster.

 

[Redhead Rae]

If your not going to hatch eggs I wouldn't keep a rooster.

Even if I were to stop hatching, I wouldn't get rid of them all. I think, with a GOOD rooster, the flock dynamics are a LOT more balanced than without a rooster.

But no rooster is better than a bad rooster.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

With children that young I wouldn't keep any roosters just because it's a much safer situation.

 

[Tslauson]

The RIR has been mating for a few weeks now. In the beginning we didnt know what was going on and one time we thought he was killing one of the buff orpingtons. So we intervened and she had blood on her face and comb and she looked like she had a black eye. And whenever he went near them they would scream and try to get away. But over the past few weeks it's been getting better. Now I see them lowering down when he comes over. And it's over just as fast as it started with no issues. But that's not every time yet! Just this past Saturday we got our first egg from one of the leghorns. She is the only one laying as of today. And yesterday was the first time i saw one of the white Cochins crow and then mate and one more time this morning. Should the RIR only be mating with hens that lay? And could one rooster over mate 7 hens?