I currently have five cockerels (2 RIR's, 1 Black Australorp, 1 Americauna, and 1 Buff Orpington), and four pullets (2 RIR's, 1 Black Australorp, 1 Chantecler). Can all these chickens share the same coop as they get bigger? They live in a coop with 72 sq.ft. of floor space, and I would hate to split it up. I have read in some websites to just keep one rooster and 1 rooster per 10 hens. I could cull at the most three if I couldn't find a new home for them (think I have home for one RIR), but I would rather not. I would like to keep them all if they"re not going to kill each other. If it will be a problem, I will split my coop keeping the Black Australorp and one RIR rooster. What should I do? Can the roosters live together?
If they grew up together as chicks they should be fine. You should see a pecking order as to who is Lead Roo and who is not. One big problem, if keeping all five roosters, is that your girls are going to get beat up badly from all the mating! I have 24 hens and three roosters and most of my girls are wearing saddles cuz they've lost a lot of feathers.
It can work or it could go horribly wrong. It depends entirely on the boys' personalities. Current, I have 1 Silver Ameraucana, 3 Buff Orp, 1 Silver Laced Wyandotte, 1 Barred Rock, all boys, in the same coop (25'x25') and they free range from 7AM until whenever they decide the day is over. No problems in the group at all. The Am is the oldest, the Orps grew up with him in charge, I brought the other two home the other day. I also brought a Black Jersey Giant home the other day, and him and the Am are going 'round and 'round and 'round to the point that I have to keep the Giant in an open brooder. They're still fighting through the cage. Some boys clash, some don't. *shrug*
I think it depends on how dominant the alpha roo will be. I've read where if they all grow up together it's not a problem, but then I've read a bunch of horror stories also. The easy answer would be to stay within the normal roo/hen guideline numbers and don't just try and hope for the best, when you're planning for the worst. I'm in a similar situation with 25 six week olds. I know without any doubt I have 10 roo's and only want to keep 3, so I'm going to try to capoonize the males I don't want then process them when they get big.
Roosters that were raised together will often get along okay. I had 5 cockerels and 8 pullets who were raised together. The boys did not fight, but they were such randy adolescents that they wore the feathers off the pullets backs. We built a bachelor coop for the 4 extra and they coexist just fine. They are mild mannered cochins and BOs, but I have heard of other roos raised together doing ok. If you end up with 2 roos and 4 hens they might do just fine in one coop.
I have kept 4 roos and 15 hens and it was okay for a while... but the hens get pretty ragged and the roos get more agressive as time passes. If I had more hens I could have kept 3 of the 4 (the Andalusian and the silkie could NOT coexist) but we decided it would be best to keep just 2. Its easier on the hens. It's either fence them apart, or rehome some of them, or get more hens. Or all of the above! I have 1 roo and will be keeping 3 cockerals of my chicks, but I will have a rooster pen just for them where they have nothing to fight over while it's someone else's turn in the breeding pen.
I raised 9 together...they were all fine together....if they aren't raised together I would believe they would have issues!
There is absolutely no question in my mind that 5 roosters in with 4 hens will result in serious problems for the hens. Once the roosters start gang breeding the hens they will end up with torn combs. lacerated backs and sides and other problems. Leave the calmest rooster with the hens and place the other four in a separate pen if you are determined to keep them.
So the roosters will be ok cooped up together? I could handle that, keeping them separated from the hens. Should I have a non see through divider between the roosters and hens?
