Choosing a beta cockerel. Help!

[LaFleche]

They're both 2 1/2 so age should not be a factor. They are also both dominant - they are both Black Copper Marans

As for laying - they were both laying 3-4 eggs per week. When their roo was culled, Rebecca stopped altogether, and it was not seasonal molt.

My French Marans hens tend to be quite confident, dominant but still very friendly and they can get very attached. I have seen older hens that were the favourites of the removed/culled rooster show behaviour similar to grieving/depression for several weeks, i.e. stopping to lay only eating the bare minimum and generally separating themselves from those that did not "share" their sentiments of loss.

Other hens that were not the favourites even seemed rather relieved and eager to get aquainted with the new male. During this time the usual hierarchy is messed up and the negotiation of the ranks/positions will be newly negotiated.

When I first started my chicken adventure almost 25 years ago I never would have believed chickens capabale of the amount of social skills and interaction as well as individuality that they display. Some are real characters, clever and affectionate while others show more independent traits and some seem to be just a bit dumb.

It was a very enlightening and still ongoing learning curve for me.
I do not tend to anthropomorphize animals and their behaviour, but they have feelings too.

 

[Mrs. K]

Very interesting, whenever I have introduced a new rooster, they have all been in love before morning. I really have never seen what I would call grief. They have been discombobulated after a predator attack, (which I have had way too many), but within two or three days they are back to normal. But I have never had that breed.

I did raise up a rooster once, that no one liked. I thought he was a pullet for a long time. It was hard to believe how long I was fooled, as I have had chickens for years. One day I thought, when the heck are you going to lay some eggs, took a good look and realized he was a rooster.

Funny thing was, he was raised in that flock, and yet, none of the other birds liked him. He was always off by himself. I decided I didn't like him either and he came to dinner.

No, I do agree with you, they are a fascinating hobby that I have enjoyed for years.

Mrs K

 

[16 and me]

My French Marans hens tend to be quite confident, dominant but still very friendly and they can get very attached. I have seen older hens that were the favourites of the removed/culled rooster show behaviour similar to grieving/depression for several weeks, i.e. stopping to lay only eating the bare minimum and generally separating themselves from those that did not "share" their sentiments of loss.

Other hens that were not the favourites even seemed rather relieved and eager to get aquainted with the new male. During this time the usual hierarchy is messed up and the negotiation of the ranks/positions will be newly negotiated.

When I first started my chicken adventure almost 25 years ago I never would have never believed chickens capabale of the amount of social skills and interaction as well as individuality that they display. Some are real characters, clever and affectionate while others show more independent traits and some seem to be just a bit dumb.

It was a very enlightening and still ongoing lerning curve for me.
I do not tend to anthropomorphize animals and their behaviour, but they have feelings too.

Very interesting, whenever I have introduced a new rooster, they have all been in love before morning. I really have never seen what I would call grief. They have been discombobulated after a predator attack, (which I have had way too many), but within two or three days they are back to normal. But I have never had that breed.

I did raise up a rooster once, that no one liked. I thought he was a pullet for a long time. It was hard to believe how long I was fooled, as I have had chickens for years. One day I thought, when the heck are you going to lay some eggs, took a good look and realized he was a rooster.

Funny thing was, he was raised in that flock, and yet, none of the other birds liked him. He was always off by himself. I decided I didn't like him either and he came to dinner.

No, I do agree with you, they are a fascinating hobby that I have enjoyed for years.

Mrs K

I had a dog attack that took out 4 hens not long after I culled that roo. I had 2 speckled sussex hens that were inseparable. One was killed in that attack. It was the first time I really saw the way chickens bond and care for each other. The surviving, uninjured SS was found snuggled up to the injured Silver Wyandotte hen who couldn't flee to safety with the remainder of the flock. There was a clear comforting & protective behaviour going on that I wondered about. Now these two are fast friends, and are the two hens that tend to keep the peace by nipping at the young cocks when they are out of line. In fact, I have found that when in the pen, Xander is under their close scrutiny and they are teaching him better than if I isolate him. It's when free ranging them that he has more freedom to be a jerk, so I am letting him learn from them and only dealing with him myself when they aren't nearby when free-range.
The wonder of these creatures!

 

[Mrs. K]

This is off post, but I strongly recommend raising a cockerel under older hens. It is not perfect 100% of the time, but I think that you get better chicken society.

 

[Lumley Farm]

Glad I found this post. I am wondering what cockerel to keep from two that I have. They are about 7 months old, got 5 two week old puffs from a backyard breeder mixes of RIR, Maran, and Orphington. Three were male and two were female come to find out. The two cockerels have postured each other but no fighting. The largest but not the Alpha has begun to crow, he's Big Red. The other is smaller but dominant (barnyard mix-Hans) as Red turns away from the confrontation, gets pushed off food, and both are still chased by the 5 older hens I have had that are about two to three years old. (The third cockerel I gave as a house warming to the new neighbors who lost their Roo when they moved here). Should I still wait to see how the girls respond? Hans seems more alert but I am fond of Red.....
PS: went out there to get a photo and had to feed them the black sunflowers they 'expect'. Noted how more aggressive Hans is and Red faced off, but backed down. And I noticed a little dance by Red. Leaning towards Red, see in the pix how pretty Hans is however. He is separated as a trial to see if the stress in the coop settles and if Red chooses to be Rooster !
In the photo, Hans is in the upper left and of course Red in behind his red girlfriend!

 

[Mrs. K]

As I stated in the beginning of this post, which I think also applies to your situation, is that the really important decision is to only have 1 rooster with 5 hens. Spring is coming and so is the possible trouble with two roosters and 5 hens.

It probably does not matter which one you pick, there is a chance that neither will work, but the BEST thing is getting one rooster established with your flock, and getting rid of the tension in the flock.

A month ago, I sent one of two roosters from a flock of 11 hens. IMMEDIATELY the tension in the flock left. The girls seemed so distracted with the two roosters. Now they adore Long Johns, and I think he is a better rooster to the girls, without the distraction of
competition.

In small flocks it is more important to limit the number of roosters. Take the one you like best, and don't look back.

Mrs K

 

[16 and me]

Glad I found this post. I am wondering what cockerel to keep from two that I have. They are about 7 months old, got 5 two week old puffs from a backyard breeder mixes of RIR, Maran, and Orphington. Three were male and two were female come to find out. The two cockerels have postured each other but no fighting. The largest but not the Alpha has begun to crow, he's Big Red. The other is smaller but dominant (barnyard mix-Hans) as Red turns away from the confrontation, gets pushed off food, and both are still chased by the 5 older hens I have had that are about two to three years old. (The third cockerel I gave as a house warming to the new neighbors who lost their Roo when they moved here). Should I still wait to see how the girls respond? Hans seems more alert but I am fond of Red.....
PS: went out there to get a photo and had to feed them the black sunflowers they 'expect'. Noted how more aggressive Hans is and Red faced off, but backed down. And I noticed a little dance by Red. Leaning towards Red, see in the pix how pretty Hans is however. He is separated as a trial to see if the stress in the coop settles and if Red chooses to be Rooster !
In the photo, Hans is in the upper left and of course Red in behind his red girlfriend!

View attachment 3727184

What a lovely flock! I have decided to give each of my boys time with the flock without the other boys around. It's giving me a chance to see the dynamic between them and the hens. My younger cocks seem to lead the pullets from the same hatch off to one section of the yard, but Xander prefers to hang with the laying hens and those approaching lay. The mature hens are working together as a team now, and won't let him get away with much, so while there is a littlr tension while they sort this out, it's much better than it was a week ago. I've decided to cull Sebastian, my big little boy and will see how Sammy works out.

Here's Xander:

Pedro, the Alpha & Xander's sire:

And Sammy:

 

[Lumley Farm]

As I stated in the beginning of this post, which I think also applies to your situation, is that the really important decision is to only have 1 rooster with 5 hens. Spring is coming and so is the possible trouble with two roosters and 5 hens.

It probably does not matter which one you pick, there is a chance that neither will work, but the BEST thing is getting one rooster established with your flock, and getting rid of the tension in the flock.

A month ago, I sent one of two roosters from a flock of 11 hens. IMMEDIATELY the tension in the flock left. The girls seemed so distracted with the two roosters. Now they adore Long Johns, and I think he is a better rooster to the girls, without the distraction of
competition.

In small flocks it is more important to limit the number of roosters. Take the one you like best, and don't look back.

Mrs K

Thank you! I understand to limit the Roos, and since I have separated the two guys, the tension has decreased! I no longer hear the 'yelling' and squawks. Red even mounted a pullet and there was no drama. Usually my eldest, the Easter Egger who is yellow and red, she would attack the unwanted approach on HER flock of hens!

 

[16 and me]

Update. Sebastian started limping a few days ago, and since I had to thin the boys, he got the first cut. This afternoon I went out to see how the flock was doing, and found Xander ontop of Rebecca cornered in the coop. She wasn't moving. I ran in and he left. I picked her up and found her eye closed and bloody. Seems to be above the eye. Xander is in the crate for the night & will be going to freezer camp tomorrow morning. Rebecca is inside with me for the night. Sammy, the quiet little underdog takes the win for now. We'll see how he does as he matures. It's gonna be hard plucking all those beautiful red feathers

 

[Mrs. K]

It is always hard, until you see how much better the flock is.