Cockerels formed a gang

[SandyRiverChick]

That is such a miserable existence for Hens and Pullets, I'm glad you're all over a solution. Sounds like you have enough room to separate the gang to death row while you feed them a few last meals......

 

[Mrs. K]

The realities of roosters, roosters domesticated and contained in a coop/run. Doesn't matter if it is normal or not. This is not working and your solution is reasonable.

Roosters are a crap shoot. Some work, some don't. Always cure the problem.

With that many roosters - I would cull off, like you did, and maybe wait a bit, and see how things develop. I think of it as a mob mentality, removing the mob or part of it might change things, but might not.

Mrs K

 

[Happy Chick Home]

Follow up.
The cockerels spent the night in jail. Didn't seem to phase them.
I saw one chasing a small hen so I got him into the smaller enclosure. I chased his little chicken legs around with my big alpha hen legs. Didn't let him rest. He wore out and hid in the coop. I just checked on them. All the hens are in that small area together with him and the roo with the gate open. No distress. He is calm; roo is calm; hens don't seem to be avoiding him.
That's why teenage boys need hard work and/or sports.
The other 3 cockerels decided to show off their crowing skills as I headed back to resume my work. Bad idea. I returned to the large enclosure and chased them around a while.

 

[Happy Chick Home]

Update: Much peace today. Better when someone is recognized keeping order.
They tend to cause more trouble when heading to bed - a vulnerable time and tonight is no exception. Two are sleeping in jail and two more - we will see.
Thanks again everyone for the advice.

 

[Yardmom]

Yes normal for cockerals.Apperantly your 18 month old roo was not able to establish dominance to keep the younger boys in hand. A mature and dominant roo will go running to the hen that is receiving the attention. He will even mate with the hen. The difference would be that the younger boys would scatter at his arrival.

 

[Happy Chick Home]

Yes normal for cockerals.Apperantly your 18 month old roo was not able to establish dominance to keep the younger boys in hand. A mature and dominant roo will go running to the hen that is receiving the attention. He will even mate with the hen. The difference would be that the younger boys would scatter at his arrival.

Thank you. I need to watch for which one can establish dominance - and maintain it. What kinds of behavior should I be watching for or encouraging?
At this point the boys are getting a lot of exercise from me chasing them. They are calmer and not thinking about hens when I decide they've had enough.

 

[Mrs. K]

Personally - you really have to many to make a choice. A lot of time, if you remove cockerels from the coop - it changes the behaviors of the ones that are left.

This plan has always worked well for me, you have to thin the forest to see the trees so to speak:

1. remove any bird that you don't like for whatever reason.
2. split out the remaining into possible and probable groups - remove the possible from the coop and wait.
3. Now a couple of things might happen, someone still in the coop, disappoints - pull him at once. Wait a bit more.
4. Sometimes one of the possibles all of sudden is more to your liking, stick him back in an see
5. A week later possibles are out.
6. Depending on how many you have redivide the remaining birds again- the probable group should be much smaller - divide again, into the cull and keep group.
7. a couple of days later - final decisions

Things I like in a rooster.

• Awareness of the surroundings - he should be there first to notice me when I come down
• No sneakiness, no walking behind me, no stink eye, no fluffing up, and no incessant crowing when I am around
• He should just naturally, without indication from me, maintain a natural 5-6 feet distance from me, placing himself between me and the hens.
• His hens should like him and for the most part be close to him
• He should mate without a lot of ruckus
• Check carefully his beak alignment, his feet alignment - no crooked toes, and pick him up and check his body confirmation. Symmetrical is best! Feathers hide a lot of faults.

Mrs K

 

[Sussex19]

Thats a great list, @Mrs. K !
One more thing I like, is that while the rooster stays out of the way most of the time, at the same time if one gently gets him in a corner of the fence, he lets one pick him up calmly.
I don't know how common it is to get a rooster like that, but its lovely when one does.

 

[Happy Chick Home]

Well, that is really helpful! Thank you.
I am considering 2 paths. Both include disposing of them all.
1. As the eggs are fertile one of the hens can hatch some chicks.
2. I expect to get some meat bird eggs or babies after the worst of the cold is over.
Either way I can raise the babies handling them from hatchlings. Hopefully, that will produce at least one good roo.

 

[Mrs. K]

Well they won't be easily handled with a mamma hen. And that is good in my opinion. Friendly petted rooster chicks are darling and brave. People love them. But what happens is these chicks have no proper respect for humans.

Chicks raised up by a broody hen in the flock learn proper chicken society. Some of those will grow up into very nice roosters - some won't. It is a crap shoot.

Mrs K