Couple of questions

[farmkat55]

Thanks for the help...I think I will for sure try to rehome the one that seems to be getting a bit obstinate. I will take a chance on Mr Rooster Cogburn...then hens love him and he's peaceful for now. I limit my time with him now so he doesn't think I'm another chicken eventually! But...does having a rooster mean we will be overrun with chicks when they all mature later on?

 

[rebrascora]

Only if you allow your hens to be broody and incubate eggs. It takes 21 days for them to hatch, so assuming your hens all lay in the nest boxes, get locked in he coop at night after a head count and you collect eggs regularly, then there should not be any chicks. However broody hens can be devious and make secret nests outside the coop, where they lay a clutch and then incubate them, which is why the head count at roost time is important. If you are missing a hen for a couple of nights but she turns up briefly through the day to eat, then you better go following her to find that nest or she will either be predator dinner or turn back up in 3 weeks with a clutch of chicks.

 

[Peeps61]

Also, Buff Orphingtons are known as a breed that will go broody. I have two that are members of my original flock and they go broody every summer. I have to toss them off the nest and collect eggs.

As far as roosters go, I learned from my first one. He was handled as a chick and was mean! He flogged me once and shortly after than, a predator go him. My other three roosters have all been great. I took a hands off approach with them and we get along fine. They move away from me and I don't do things to upset the hens with them around. I had a polish that was fine. He disappeared, but I had two of his chicks that were white leghorn crosses. Both of them were fine. One of them disappeared, but the other has a son that is part polish/leghorn cross and brahma. He's HUGE, but very calm and respectful. If you do let your hen hatch out some eggs, be aware that a large number of them will be cockerels, so have a plan to deal with them, otherwise you really will have too many roosters!

 

[lazy gardener]

Thanks for the help...I think I will for sure try to rehome the one that seems to be getting a bit obstinate. I will take a chance on Mr Rooster Cogburn...then hens love him and he's peaceful for now. I limit my time with him now so he doesn't think I'm another chicken eventually! But...does having a rooster mean we will be overrun with chicks when they all mature later on?

I keep an "arm's length" policy with my roos. I'm currently integrating a youngster to take over flock master duties. Keeping a roo is a very individual decision. Only keep one if you want one, and if you eventually want to raise some chicks from your own flock. That being said, you will not be over-run with chicks if you MANAGE your flock. You are the flock keeper, so YOU get to decide if and when you allow a broody hen to set eggs, or if you decide to put eggs in an incubator. You don't leave these decisions up to your flock. Part of the management also involves breaking a broody hen, and having the space and means to do so if you don't want to let her set a clutch of eggs. You may eventually want to trade in your BO for a breed that is not so prone to go broody. Even if you hatch chicks, you still must manage population: Who stays? Who goes? And, lastly, don't ever hatch chicks unless you already have an exit plan in place for the approximately 60% of cockerels that will result from each hatch. And, don't hatch chicks unless you are willing to cull the deformed or failure to thrive chicks. That also is part of good animal husbandry and stewardship.

 

[farmkat55]

I appreciate the input of everyone...I knew BOs were broody but didn't really plan on having any roos. I think I'd rather buy more chicks when the time comes to replace any. I don't have a lot of chickens so I think it should be more manageable. I do love these ladies..and the one rooster..though! But if I decide to part with him, it will be for the sake of it being better for the ladies, and I guess me too! LOL!

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

I would suggest keeping one rooster to avoid fights and bullying. If I were you, I would keep the most submissive rooster. Chickens tend to copy the behavior of each other, so a mean roo could turn even the sweetest of lap chickens into a bully. (Unfortunately, I witnessed this first hand with my Brahma rooster who turned my Brahma hen into a little evil thing.) It may be hard to determine how submissive the rooster is until a little later on. Good luck!