Cockle-do! -- What to do if there is two?

[amiachicknorwat]

Our chicks are just over two months old. They're of mixed "heritage" (they say) breeds and after hoping we were getting all layers-to-be we learned this batch weren't sexed. We were told we could exchange off males back thru the store of purchase. I arose early this morning to open the coop door into the chicken run. One of the chicks stood tall atop the big feeder and finally I heard a clear cockle-do, we'll say, not a cockle-doodle-do, but clear enuf so there's no denying it any longer. Now we're thinking there may be -- what if there is two cockerels in our flock??? I hear that can cause mortal discord between them (hence cock fights). It was kinda dark in the coop so I didn't even get a positive ID. But thru the morning I narrowed it down to a prime suspect (nothing wrong with being male, I know, as raucous as we can be). Has anyone here experienced what can happen when 2 -- or more! -- chicks turn out to be dudes (not duds -- except with regard to egg-laying) & how to handle it? Much Thanks, Nick

 

[Folly's place]

It depends. How many birds total? Usually eight to ten hens per rooster, or the hens get too much 'attention' for their comfort. I like having roosters, but only the polite boys that improve the flock, not the other kind. Mary

 

[keesmom]

How many chicks do you have? If they were straight run then on average 50% are cockerels. If you are me then 80% are cockerels.

 

[trailrider330]

Do you want/need any roosters? That is the first question. Sounds like you were not planning on getting any roosters, so there is nothing that says you have to keep any. If the place you purchased them from is willing to exchange them, then by all means, return them and get more layers.

If you do want to keep 1-2 roosters, multiple roosters can co-habitat and get along fairly well, especially if they were raised together and have already worked out who is the "boss". What you need to worry about is what those randy cockerels are going to do to those pullets. Like Folly's Place said, if you have more than 1 roo to 8-10 hens, you either need more hens or fewer roos. If not, you will have problems.

Good luck making the decision that is best for you and your flock!

 

[amiachicknorwat]

Much thanks to you and all the respondents here, including BYC for providing this (learning/sharing) forum. We bought 9 unsexed chicks and a couple weeks later got 9 laying hens. So with the numbers given here, if 2 or even 3 turn out to be hens we're OK. But you're right, we did just want layers. Partly due our being new to all this. Now we have some experience and with the deeper experience here I think we ready to make a go of it.