Boys or girls!?

[donrae]

Sounds like you have some decisions to make, then. Keep the roosters separate from the hens, or get rid of the roosters. Even 2 healthy active roosters can easily overmate 5 hens, and no one wants a constant gangbang in the backyard.

 

[piggirl19]

The disabled one and the red one seem to be friends i would probably get rid of my black one cause i like the other two a lot and I know I have that problem wit my ducks right now cause I have way to many males which sucks

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Is there a way there a way to neuter them where I can keep all three I don't wanna get rid of them if I don't have to

Yes...actually there is a way to neuter a rooster...it creates what is called a "capon" and is caponizing.

It isn't for the feint of heart, but there is an excellent thread here on BYC that gives step by step instructions.

Caponizing used to be popular at the turn of the century to get larger size meat birds (before the industry created the hybrid Cornish cross that it uses today for quick growth meat birds).

Caponizing removes the hormones (edited to add by removing the testes) that make the flesh tough so the bird can be grown for much longer until it gets to be a large size (my memory about 7 to 10 lbs???). It also totally mellows out the roo so that he no longer crows nor acts roo-ish to the point many report they make good nursemaids for chicks. Capons won't sit on eggs, but they will lovingly care for the new chicks keeping them warm and protected.

Here's that BYC thread...warning if you can't stomach medical photos...you won't want to look.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/675898/graphic-pics-of-my-day-learning-to-caponize

Just FYI
Lady of McCamley

 

[newbie32]

Yes...actually there is a way to neuter a rooster...it creates what is called a "capon" and is caponizing.

It isn't for the feint of heart, but there is an excellent thread here on BYC that gives step by step instructions.

Caponizing used to be popular at the turn of the century to get larger size meat birds (before the industry created the hybrid Cornish cross that it uses today for quick growth meat birds).

Caponizing removes the hormones (edited to add by removing the testes) that make the flesh tough so the bird can be grown for much longer until it gets to be a large size (my memory about 7 to 10 lbs???). It also totally mellows out the roo so that he no longer crows nor acts roo-ish to the point many report they make good nursemaids for chicks. Capons won't sit on eggs, but they will lovingly care for the new chicks keeping them warm and protected.

Here's that BYC thread...warning if you can't stomach medical photos...you won't want to look.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/675898/graphic-pics-of-my-day-learning-to-caponize

Just FYI
Lady of McCamley

Wow that is very interesting, I had never heard of it. Thank you for enlightening me.

 

[piggirl19]

Well now I'm gonna have to find someone to do this for me haha