Confusing EE/Did I end up with all boys!?

[Folly's place]

If you want to keep the Wellie cockerel, consider integrating him with the pullet soonest, or integrate the entire group. Young cockerels aren't a threat to the mature roosters, and will mix better before puberty. Then, keep those boys around and watch their development, especially temperaments. It will become easier to sort them out, and 'nice' now doesn't mean nice later!
Mary

 

[jolenesdad]

Oh wow I wasn’t getting notifications they’ve grown up so much!!!! I loooove the wellies!!!!

I’m with @Folly's place as I said earlier in the thread. I would integrate them ASAP the earlier those boys are getting bossed around and kept in line by your hens, the better!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Ooh yeah I would definitely take the one pullet out of there, actually the sooner the better I think. That many boys would over mate her, and very probably fight over her.
But you're right, introducing a single chicken to your flock really is harder.

So far they’ve been okay but I know that’s probably just cause they’re still young so I’ll take her out. But definitely worried about integrating one.

You could integrate the whole lot into your other flock, then later take the males back out. That would get the pullet integrated without being the only new bird at that time.

Of course, this would probably mess with the flock dynamics of all the males.

(Just throwing the idea out there in case it helps--I'm not actually sure if it's a good idea or not.)

That is a great idea!! Didn’t think of that! Thank you. I’ll try it.

If you want to keep the Wellie cockerel, consider integrating him with the pullet soonest, or integrate the entire group. Young cockerels aren't a threat to the mature roosters, and will mix better before puberty. Then, keep those boys around and watch their development, especially temperaments. It will become easier to sort them out, and 'nice' now doesn't mean nice later!
Mary

That’s a good idea, thanks. I’ve let them free range together a few times but they don’t really seem to mingle much. They’ve been a little bit more lately. I know they should probably be in the same coop and run but there isn’t room in the current one and we’re building a new one atm.

I was planning on making a bachelor pad in the old one but maybe I should take the ones I want to keep and try integrating them or just integrate them all in case I do sell any so they can learn manners. Though I was worried it might stress my current girls out and cause them to stop laying.

We actually don’t have a rooster currently so these chicks are the only boys. I have 11 adults currently, all female. Six 4 1/2 year olds and five 10 month olds.

And I have heard that and that sometimes the submissive rooster is the better one to keep?

Oh wow I wasn’t getting notifications they’ve grown up so much!!!! I loooove the wellies!!!!

I’m with @Folly's place as I said earlier in the thread. I would integrate them ASAP the earlier those boys are getting bossed around and kept in line by your hens, the better!

They really have! I can’t believe it!! And right!? Me too!! I think they’re so pretty!! And the cockerel is going to be stunning.

And yeah, I’ve been letting them free range together lately and there have been a few arguments but I wonder if it’s too late as the big girls seem a bit scared of them!! But then other times they hold their own against them so

There is one boy in particular who loves starting fights with the big girls.

Everyone else seems to mind their own business. A few have had the occasional scuffle but then move on.

Not that boy and they seem scared of him and run.

I am hoping with more interaction he will learn.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I should have done it a lot sooner like you guys said because I think they view them as adults now instead of chicks. Or maybe they just need to be enclosed together.

I also think they’ve grown a ton just in the two weeks they’ve been outside which may be contributing. And I wonder if the lack of sunshine could have somewhat stunted them? they had a lot the first few weeks being upstairs but then moved to the basement at about 3 weeks and were there until 2 weeks ago

 

[jolenesdad]

If you’re free ranging them together that’s fine. I abundantly treat in a smaller spread out space when integrating so they get together in these moments and realize there’s enough food to go around. For a couple days when the flocks are still staying together by themselves I’ll treat them about 50 feet apart and start to move it closer together to one area over a few cycles of treating.

When will the new coop be done?

I would personally start the attempt to rehome now starting with the bossiest that’s running around your older hens. As soon as the new coops done I would move the wellies and the Lav or whichever other one you want to keep and separate the others, at least when they’re not free ranging.

 

[Folly's place]

Family groups will stick together, sometime for years, and it's fine. You do need to have plans for the extra cockerels, because two would be almost too many for this flock. Might work out, might not, and it is early to make final decisions.
Keep the two you like best with the flock, and move the others on soon.
I prefer cockerels who ignore me and pay polite attention to their flockmates, not cockerels who seem 'friendly'.
Mary

 

[ShrekDawg]

If you’re free ranging them together that’s fine. I abundantly treat in a smaller spread out space when integrating so they get together in these moments and realize there’s enough food to go around. For a couple days when the flocks are still staying together by themselves I’ll treat them about 50 feet apart and start to move it closer together to one area over a few cycles of treating.

When will the new coop be done?

I would personally start the attempt to rehome now starting with the bossiest that’s running around your older hens. As soon as the new coops done I would move the wellies and the Lav or whichever other one you want to keep and separate the others, at least when they’re not free ranging.

Thanks!! I’m gonna try that. I did give them some treats the other day and they seemed to do okay! Little ones weren’t really sure what treats were but they were able to sneak some without trouble.

And hopefully soon!! It’s mostly done but still need to do a few key things then they should be able to move in.

And yeah I think I’ll do that!! Was going to list them soon but didn’t want to accidentally list one I may want to keep so idk.

Maybe I’ll start with listing the ones I definitely don’t haha

So you think I should integrate a few rather than the bachelor pad idea?

I will do whatever is best.

And do you think it’s too late for them to learn manners? I really worry it is.

Family groups will stick together, sometime for years, and it's fine. You do need to have plans for the extra cockerels, because two would be almost too many for this flock. Might work out, might not, and it is early to make final decisions.
Keep the two you like best with the flock, and move the others on soon.
I prefer cockerels who ignore me and pay polite attention to their flockmates, not cockerels who seem 'friendly'.
Mary

Thank you!! That makes sense! When I added the pullets, they hung out by themselves for a while and split into their family groups (older girls and pullets) while free ranging and only recently stopped. Though even now they still sometimes split up but mingle a lot more and tend to all stick together now. Think it started when the pullets started laying.

And thanks! That’s good advice! Yeah, I’m so worried I will choose wrong which is why I haven’t listed any yet. Especially since I know it is still young to be able to tell or know their personalities. But I also know I can’t keep 7 cockerels so so do need to do something soon. But thankfully, at least for now, they are being good!

Long term though, I don’t know that I want two permanently, still not sure on even one, but I don’t want to choose wrong so do want to choose at least two, possibly 3, just for now, to see, but once I decide, I’ll probably get rid of the extras. Either rehoming or maybe eating if necessary. Hopefully not.

Though I have read that if raised together it usually works out better because they work out their differences early on? And that does seem to be the case here... there was lots of squabbling the first month or so, month and a half maybe, and now nothing. They seem to know who the boss is and don’t fight or even crow since being moved outside. They were crowing a lot downstairs. They have gotten into some fights with the big girls because they haven’t met them or established the pecking order but amongst themselves they seem to know. So hopefully it’ll be okay

We also have almost 3 acres so they can easily separate if need be when I let them out so maybe that will help?

And yeah, I have read those can sometimes be the most aggressive ones so I’ve tried not to really handle or interact with these babies much and it seems to have worked because they do seem to respect me and run away from me still.

One or two kind of approach me when I go near them but don’t come too close and it doesn’t seem to be an issue so far. They do still run when I actually make a move.

They also seem pretty alert and looking out.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Sorry for the huge novel

 

[Folly's place]

It's fun to spend time out there watching flock dynamics, although I don't do much of it during snow season. One or two cockerels may be fine with each other, or not, but it gives you more time to pick the one that's best for your flock. Overmating might be an issues, or not; again, it just depends.
Mary

 

[Rooapalooza]

If I were you I would keep three or four boys and then see what happens. In my very first group of chickens, all 'pullets' from TSC, I ended up with four boys out of six. My store was very nice and gave me four replacements for free, which were girls. I panicked about having so many boys; mine fought when they reached crowing age, though they eventually settled their differences.

Anyway I was worried, and the competing crowing was very loud (plus my neighbors live close to me) so I gave two away to someone for eating, and I regret that. For a while I had the other two roosters, but within the first year the alpha rooster got taken by a fox, and I was left with the most submissive rooster. I liked him, but I definitely missed having more than one man around for the girls .

I prefer having more than one rooster actually. They seem to divide up tasks, and you have back-ups. In an ideal flock (to me) the rooster should be the one to be taken by a predator before any hen; this has been my experience for the most part.

If you were keeping them confined, I would say one rooster at the most, but with as much space as you have, I don't think it would hurt to have more. That way, also, if one starts to annoy you or the hens, you won't feel too bad about having to get rid of him.