Choosing a keeper from a bachelor flock

[CluckkyKrista]

Hello everyone,

I have a young bachelor flock - 7 cockerels all 14 weeks old living together a good distance from my hens (10min walk away and out of sight/sound). We haven’t had a bachelor flock before, but decided to keep these boys around long enough to choose a nice one or two as keepers. The last time we chose to keep a copper Marans Roo who was beautiful, he ended up being a jerk and we had to rehome him.

So, i’m after some advice on how to choose a nice rooster for our flock, family and for breeding. We currently have 2 splash/blue laced red Wyandottes; 2 silver double laced Barnevelders; 2 Cooper Marans and 1 Birchin Marans. Pics below. Right now they all get along pretty well and hang out together when free ranging.

We also have a 7 more chicks that are growing out (blue laced red Wyandottes, BLR barnevelders and some Easter eggers).

Questions:
1) who would you keep for breeding?
2) what would you look for in personality?
3) When would we expect to see aggression if it were to show up, and can a rooster’s behaviour in a bachelor flock be a good indicator of how they will treat their hens?
4) Finally, can we add younger cockerels later to this flock or will that create problems?

Love any more thought/advice you might have!

 

[CluckkyKrista]

Pics below

 

[redinator]

My only tiny bit of advice is, if any are human aggressive without hens/pullets around that's only likely to get worse, remove them first.

 

[WishingStar]

My only tiny bit of advice is, if any are human aggressive without hens/pullets around that's only likely to get worse, remove them first.

100%. I made this mistake. They never get better, especially around kids. My poor kids put up with it longer than I should have allowed. No one is scarred, mentally or physically, but looking back I was stupid for doing that.

1) who would you keep for breeding?

This really depends on your personal goals.

2) what would you look for in personality?

Friendly and vigilant; I want birds that don't bother me but are always watching for predators. This means frequent alarm calls around my property if there's something they don't recognize, even something as small as a bat flying around midday instead of dusk.

3) When would we expect to see aggression if it were to show up, and can a rooster’s behaviour in a bachelor flock be a good indicator of how they will treat their hens?

Soon. My first bad boy started around 20 or so weeks old. Can't recall when the next two idiots started. Had a hen aggressive cockerel that would drag hens out of nest boxes starting around 20 weeks.

Possibly. Males around males are fairly different from males with females.

How old are your females? The sooner you can integrate males, the easier it may be for them to adjust to each other. Males are like dumb hormonal teenagers until closer to a year old. The females can hold their own and demand respect easier with younger males.

4) Finally, can we add younger cockerels later to this flock or will that create problems?

To the bachelor flock, or breeding flock? Any way you add them, they will restructure the pecking order. I only have one mixed flock, so I cannot vouch for a bachelor flock, but the two times I've added cockerels it went well. They just need ample space to sort things out.

Also found this helpful post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bachelor-flock-in-turmoil.1684309/post-29035222