Cockerels - now what do I do?

[brezbyme]

It seems pretty sure that I ended out with at least 2 male easter eggers. What should I do? I had intended to heed the advice I had read on here about not having a rooster when you first start out raising chickens. I got the 5 EE's at the local lumber yard with no guarantee of sex.
Is it a lot harder to have a rooster? What are the negatives? Are there benefits to having one?

 

[couuntrygirl13]

I currently have 3 roosters. All my chickens free range. I have had no problem with having roosters. I prefer them so that I can hatch eggs. None of mine have ever been mean. As long as they are raised right, I see no problem with having roosters. If they grow up together, they won’t fight so it’s fine to keep both of them. You could also sell them if you don’t want them.

 

[brezbyme]

I currently have 3 roosters. All my chickens free range. I have had no problem with having roosters. I prefer them so that I can hatch eggs. None of mine have ever been mean. As long as they are raised right, I see no problem with having roosters. If they grow up together, they won’t fight so it’s fine to keep both of them. You could also sell them if you don’t want them.

Mine are six weeks old and I just started letting them out Sunday, since that's when we got the run finished. I intend to give them free range out of the run once they get a little older.
Can you clarify what "raised right" means?

 

[oregonkat]

The trouble you are going to run into is the fact that you do not have enough hens for more than one rooster. Roos are hard on the girls, the ratio really needs to be somewhere around 6/1 ideally more hens if possible. When there are not enough hens and the space is limited, the roos are going to fight. Are you allowed to have roosters where you live?

Try advertising them on Craigslist if you decide that you dont want to keep one or either of them.

 

[brezbyme]

The trouble you are going to run into is the fact that you do not have enough hens for more than one rooster. Roos are hard on the girls, the ratio really needs to be somewhere around 6/1 ideally more hens if possible. When there are not enough hens and the space is limited, the roos are going to fight. Are you allowed to have roosters where you live?

Try advertising them on Craigslist if you decide that you dont want to keep one or either of them.

We are out in the country with no restrictions. I have a total of 20 chickens. I got 15 of them from a hatchery that had a 90% guarantee they were pullets, although I haven't taken pictures of them to post to make sure they are yet. The 5 EE's are the ones I wasn't sure of so I posted pictures of them and was told that 2 are probably cockerels.

 

[oregonkat]

OK, well you are good with the numbers then so you should be fine, unless you just dont want them, in which case try the Craigslist route. Of course, there is always the freezer farm.

 

[red horse ranch]

I really don't know why some people don't like or are afraid to have roosters. My very 1st chickens happened to be 2 roosters that a friend gave me. Since I'm a country girl I LOVE to hear a rooster crowing. And they are so beautiful. It was 2 years later before I finally got some hens.
Now I often have 6 or 7 roosters. Roosters have a pecking order just like the hens do. As long as one of your roosters is willing to be #2 then they will get along fine. If both roosters want to be the alpha male then you will have fighting and eventually have to decide which one to keep. But a good rooster is a pleasure to have watching over your hens and protecting them.

 

[couuntrygirl13]

Mine are six weeks old and I just started letting them out Sunday, since that's when we got the run finished. I intend to give them free range out of the run once they get a little older.
Can you clarify what "raised right" means?

“Raised right” meaning don’t let them attack you, don’t be afraid of them, teach them that people are dominant.

 

[Marshaharrell]

We have two roosters and the older one chases the younger one constantly. The younger one is his son, hatched and raised in the same yard. We have 10 adult hens in that yard and 5 16 week old pullets, but Bingo will NOT share. Basically, Henry stays behind our smaller, chick coop most of the day. He is 7 months old and I'm wondering if they'll ever get along. Bingo isn't agressive towards the hens or people, just towards Henry.

 

[red horse ranch]

We have two roosters and the older one chases the younger one constantly. The younger one is his son, hatched and raised in the same yard. We have 10 adult hens in that yard and 5 16 week old pullets, but Bingo will NOT share. Basically, Henry stays behind our smaller, chick coop most of the day. He is 7 months old and I'm wondering if they'll ever get along. Bingo isn't agressive towards the hens or people, just towards Henry.

I had a father and son combination here until this winter when the younger one died at 5 years old. Most of the time they ignored each other but both had their own harem of females that followed them around. Mack was submissive to his father when they were actually together. And I never saw any real fights. It sounds like your younger rooster is submissive and won't be trying to take dad's place as leader. At 7 months your rooster is pretty much full grown but he hasn't developed any confidence yet. But if a few of the pullets choose him as their mate he will gradually improve. But keep an eye on them because dad may kill him before that happens. He's is hiding behind the coop because he is afraid.

Some roosters will NEVER accept competition.