Beginner Flock Management questions about rooster to hen ratio

[bkint]

hello all. The subject of my post is pretty broad so sorry about that in advance. I have 10 baby chicks about 3-4weeks old. I have not vented any of them. Based off of other sex identifying techniques i can safely say i will have more than 1 rooster. As of now I plan to keep them as laying hens. potentially grow flock until 1 rooster to 10hen ratio. Not opposed to them becoming meat birds down the road just not sure the sizing yet. They are a mixture of mutts my friend hatched for her kindergarten class.

What should i do? Do i wait until they are all full grown so that i know i have more than one rooster? should I get rid of all but one rooster sooner rather than later? Should i keep a rooster as back up? how would i do this? would they have to be isolated?how do i choose which one i should keep?Ive seen alot of posts saying chickens are heartless/selfish and i get that. Its just these are my first ever chicks and im raising them as best I can and they are very happy and they make me smile. Do i have to kill some roosters? I know i can try to sell/give them away. Just looking for any comments/ suggestions from anyone who has had to make this decision in the past. Thank you for reading

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

When the chicks are 4-6 weeks old you can make a thread and post photos here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/what-breed-or-gender-is-this.15/

It's often recommended that for your first flock you don't have any males at all. That way you can learn to care for chickens and deal with the issues that come up without having to deal with the problems inherent to hormonal cockerels -- because even the well-behaved ones have their moments as they go through puberty.

This is especially recommended if you have young children around since an aggressive male would attack at eye-level for a child.

Now some people *do* manage fine with a rooster in their first flock -- but it is harder to work out.

One advantage of waiting a year to get a male is that a cockerel raised with adult chickens around is generally said to be better socialized into chicken society than one who is raised only with age-peers where he's the biggest, toughest thing around.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

What should i do?

Do i wait until they are all full grown so that i know i have more than one rooster?

You should have a pretty good idea what gender they are by 6-10 weeks of age. On here, people will post a thread in this forum here at 6 weeks.

should I get rid of all but one rooster sooner rather than later?

Once you've got everybody confirmed on their genders, you can start weeding out your extras. Sooner is often better, but if they're not aggressive breeds, and appear to be getting along, you can keep them longer.

Should i keep a rooster as back up?

You can if you want to. But if you do, be sure there's no aggression between the two. Some roosters you can get away with two, others you cannot.

how would i do this?

I like to just pick a rooster that looks like he'd be the best fit. One that's not too friendly or aggressive, not going to be too big or small depending, one that has good looks, and sometimes just my favorite.

would they have to be isolated?

You shouldn't isolate young chickens. Especially roosters that you want to raise together. When they're older (like 8 weeks and up), if they start getting bloody in their fights, then they should be separated. If you have non game breeds, even with a bloody fight, one will give up and stop fighting.

Do i have to kill some roosters?

If you attend on eating them, you can once they're the size you want.

I know i can try to sell/give them away.

You can try Craigslist. This is an article that might be able to help you with posting on there if you'd like to try it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-post-on-craigslist.76257/

Good luck with your chicks!

 

[Saveria]

In my experience, the only way to tell about multiple rooster interactions is to read the personality of the birds themselves. Most people are right: the number of roosters you have has a direct ratio to the amount of headache you have, but multiples can be kept successfully (but you will definitely have to do some fine-tuning at some point).

I have an amerucana rooster that came with our first starter flock we got. He does a good job, and is a really balanced rooster. In a rushed moment at tractor supply I got two straight run barred rocks with some other chicks, and ended up with two BR roosters. One I technically sold, because the woman was kind and was happy to have one of them. One of them I kept, because he was so timid. He is now enormous, but always just runs away from our amerucana rooster (who is much smaller). We have 20 hens, but the amerucana doesn't want the barred rock to mate with a single one of them. He does, when the amerucana isn't looking, but sometimes I feel sad that they fight so much, especially in winter. I am going to try to get the amer. rooster with some hens in a mobile coop next summer, so the barred can relax a little bit.

That is the kind of stuff roosters will throw at you. Some can be worse, I think we got lucky. Either way, you are giving them a better life (even if it is short) than what they would have gotten at the hatchery. Also, making your own meat is more honorable, because you see the animal through it, I think. There is tons of info on here about all that stuff if you ever come to that crossroad.

Good luck with your birds!

 

[MTR]

Do you want to breed? If not I’d only keep one. If you do I’d keep two but get more hens. I’d let them all grow out so you can see which rooster(s) have the traits you are looking for. I wouldn’t let them get past 14-16 weeks though or your looking at a soup bird. I have raised hens and roosters straight run many times and waited to butcher till later without major problems. If they are raised together they will have grown up understanding the pecking order. Just don’t separate them and then reintroduce them.

 

[Mrs. K]

A huge amount depends on what does your set up look like, how big is it. Space and a lot of it is very important in running multiple roosters. And do know, that what seems like a lot of room now, when chicks are little will rapidly become not enough room later.

It is very difficult to imagine those cute little fluff balls acting anything but darling, but this forum is full of accounts where the darlings become the nightmares. I got chicks April 4, and just tonight, I am noticing a little tension amongst them. I do have two coops, and will be separating the cockerels out of the flock into a grow out pen.

This will protect their flock mate pullets, that are not interested in sex until they start laying, where as the cockerels are already trying to dominate them and each other. I have an established flock with a rooster and older hens, and I think I will leave one cockerel that I have kind of picked out for a new rooster. Growing up under older birds polishes their manners.

IMO, I would cull all of the roosters this year. Get some experience, learn about chickens and raise up some adult chickens, then next year, add some more, letting the chicks raise up in the flock, these tend to be better roosters.

Do be aware, most inexperienced people vastly underestimate how violent fighting cocks can be, or how violent they can attack people. Children tend to be attacked first, and can be struck in the head.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

I have not vented any of them. Based off of other sex identifying techniques i can safely say i will have more than 1 rooster.

Vent sexing is rather difficult.
Comb and wattle size/color should tell you soon, if not already, which are males.

 

[bkint]

A huge amount depends on what does your set up look like, how big is it. Space and a lot of it is very important in running multiple roosters. And do know, that what seems like a lot of room now, when chicks are little will rapidly become not enough room later.

It is very difficult to imagine those cute little fluff balls acting anything but darling, but this forum is full of accounts where the darlings become the nightmares. I got chicks April 4, and just tonight, I am noticing a little tension amongst them. I do have two coops, and will be separating the cockerels out of the flock into a grow out pen.

This will protect their flock mate pullets, that are not interested in sex until they start laying, where as the cockerels are already trying to dominate them and each other. I have an established flock with a rooster and older hens, and I think I will leave one cockerel that I have kind of picked out for a new rooster. Growing up under older birds polishes their manners.

IMO, I would cull all of the roosters this year. Get some experience, learn about chickens and raise up some adult chickens, then next year, add some more, letting the chicks raise up in the flock, these tend to be better roosters.

Do be aware, most inexperienced people vastly underestimate how violent fighting cocks can be, or how violent they can attack people. Children tend to be attacked first, and can be struck in the head.

Mrs K

So youre saying get rid of all the boys? right now i have them in a brooder about 4 1/2’ x 4 1/2’ x 3’ tall they are all together. theres a divider and a door so they can move throughout each side.
should i separate which i think are male? my intial thought was to keep them all together while getting fully feathered and then let them live in coop together until i can easily determine which is male/female at that point id pick the best rooster to keep and try to find homes for the others before butchering. is this not the way to go?

youre also saying i should just keep the girls and let them grow up and then add some more chicks in hopes i just get one rooster? i guess i would do this one at a time until i got a rooster?

my coop is 8’ x8’ square with a connected outdoor section 8’x8’ square so 16’x 16’. they will also be free roam about 40% of the time(when im not working) i have about 4acres. also im am aware of predators being a threat so i plan to watch them and being doing yard work etc while they roam i also have a great dog whom i know will chill with them wherever they go.

 

[bkint]

You should have a pretty good idea what gender they are by 6-10 weeks of age. On here, people will post a thread in this forum here at 6 weeks.

Once you've got everybody confirmed on their genders, you can start weeding out your extras. Sooner is often better, but if they're not aggressive breeds, and appear to be getting along, you can keep them longer.

You can if you want to. But if you do, be sure there's no aggression between the two. Some roosters you can get away with two, others you cannot.

I like to just pick a rooster that looks like he'd be the best fit. One that's not too friendly or aggressive, not going to be too big or small depending, one that has good looks, and sometimes just my favorite.

You shouldn't isolate young chickens. Especially roosters that you want to raise together. When they're older (like 8 weeks and up), if they start getting bloody in their fights, then they should be separated. If you have non game breeds, even with a bloody fight, one will give up and stop fighting.

If you attend on eating them, you can once they're the size you want.

You can try Craigslist. This is an article that might be able to help you with posting on there if you'd like to try it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-post-on-craigslist.76257/

Good luck with your chicks!

thanks so much for your detailed response very helpful i will be sure to keep everyone updated

In my experience, the only way to tell about multiple rooster interactions is to read the personality of the birds themselves. Most people are right: the number of roosters you have has a direct ratio to the amount of headache you have, but multiples can be kept successfully (but you will definitely have to do some fine-tuning at some point).

I have an amerucana rooster that came with our first starter flock we got. He does a good job, and is a really balanced rooster. In a rushed moment at tractor supply I got two straight run barred rocks with some other chicks, and ended up with two BR roosters. One I technically sold, because the woman was kind and was happy to have one of them. One of them I kept, because he was so timid. He is now enormous, but always just runs away from our amerucana rooster (who is much smaller). We have 20 hens, but the amerucana doesn't want the barred rock to mate with a single one of them. He does, when the amerucana isn't looking, but sometimes I feel sad that they fight so much, especially in winter. I am going to try to get the amer. rooster with some hens in a mobile coop next summer, so the barred can relax a little bit.

That is the kind of stuff roosters will throw at you. Some can be worse, I think we got lucky. Either way, you are giving them a better life (even if it is short) than what they would have gotten at the hatchery. Also, making your own meat is more honorable, because you see the animal through it, I think. There is tons of info on here about all that stuff if you ever come to that crossroad.

Good luck with your birds!

thats a very interesting point about harvesting your own meat being more honorable because you see them through it. might be a little unrelated but when my childhood dog passed i was about 18 and he was 13. he was getting euthanized and i couldnt bare to go in the room i was to sad, i watched from the hall and now (im 26) i still regret not being there with him. I will see my chickens through! the honorable way! thanks for your reply and thanks for listening

 

[Saveria]

thanks so much for your detailed response very helpful i will be sure to keep everyone updated

thats a very interesting point about harvesting your own meat being more honorable because you see them through it. might be a little unrelated but when my childhood dog passed i was about 18 and he was 13. he was getting euthanized and i couldnt bare to go in the room i was to sad, i watched from the hall and now (im 26) i still regret not being there with him. I will see my chickens through! the honorable way! thanks for your reply and thanks for listening

That is so understandable, though. It was too hard to watch because you loved him so much. I think it gets a little easier as you get older and you experience loss more.

Some folks do love their chickens as much as dogs, and it is really hard for them. Most times, it is a little easier since they don't live in your house, and there are less times that you wonder why they aren't there and have the painful memory again.