First time chicken mama trying to figure out sex/breeds

[Jessibel]

Hi everyone, i have recently took in 8 little day old chicks. They have now hit the 5 week mark and i am curious about their breeds. I dont know very much about chickens, learning as i go. This site has already helped a lot. I am also wondering how many roosters i have. I have 2 that i am pretty certain are roos, and 1 that I am not 100%.. Is 3 roos for 5 hens bad? Would 2 work? 2 of the roosters are the 2 chicks my sons picked. And the other one i really like.. it would be hard to get rid of any of them really..

( my only guess so far for the sex is 3 roos.. for the breeds one brahma, one wyandotte and 1 or 2 barred rock plymouth and the rest i dont know.. i do know some of these chicks came from blue eggs and may be ee's..)

Thanks you in advance for any help..

 

[cherrynberry]

I see 3 cockerels out of the 8

 

[arishoks]

I think the 3rd suspected cockerel is indeed a cockerel. 3 or even just 2 roos with this flock likely wouldn't work in the long term. They would fight over the girls. I'd only keep one with that small of a flock.

 

[Jessibel]

Thank you.. i was hoping i was wrong.. will have to figure out a way to rehome 2 of them then.

 

[cherrynberry]

Thank you.. i was hoping i was wrong.. will have to figure out a way to rehome 2 of them then.

Unfortunately, you don’t even have enough hens for one rooster. They will most likely get overmated. And it’s best to have 10-12, and even with that many hens to one rooster, you may still see overmated hens.

 

[Jessibel]

Unfortunately, you don’t even have enough hens for one rooster. They will most likely get overmated. And it’s best to have 10-12, and even with that many hens to one rooster, you may sti

Unfortunately, you don’t even have enough hens for one rooster. They will most likely get overmated. And it’s best to have 10-12, and even with that many hens to one rooster, you may still see overmated hens.

Oh.. i had read that 10 hens were good for a rooster but it didnt mention it as a minimum type thing.. thank you.. i will look into either getting more pullets or rehoming the roos... we were kinda of looking forward to keeping at least one though..

 

[cherrynberry]

Oh.. i had read that 10 hens were good for a rooster but it didnt mention it as a minimum type thing.. thank you.. i will look into either getting more pullets or rehoming the roos... we were kinda of looking forward to keeping at least one though..

It’s not really even a minimum, breeders use 1-10 for 100% fertility. I have 20 hens to 1 rooster and still have several hens with bare heads and 1 hen (his favorite) with a bare back.

 

[am7039]

Hi everyone, i have recently took in 8 little day old chicks. They have now hit the 5 week mark and i am curious about their breeds. I dont know very much about chickens, learning as i go. This site has already helped a lot. I am also wondering how many roosters i have. I have 2 that i am pretty certain are roos, and 1 that I am not 100%.. Is 3 roos for 5 hens bad? Would 2 work? 2 of the roosters are the 2 chicks my sons picked. And the other one i really like.. it would be hard to get rid of any of them really..

( my only guess so far for the sex is 3 roos.. for the breeds one brahma, one wyandotte and 1 or 2 barred rock plymouth and the rest i dont know.. i do know some of these chicks came from blue eggs and may be ee's..)

Thanks you in advance for any help..

I have a very similar situation that out of a flock of 15 I have 3 roos. I am going to try something that I read about and that is a "bachelor coop" I am going to try and house the roos together completely seperate from the pullets with the hope that they can coincide peacefully with no hens to fight over.

 

[Jessibel]

I have a very similar situation that out of a flock of 15 I have 3 roos. I am going to try something that I read about and that is a "bachelor coop" I am going to try and house the roos together completely seperate from the pullets with the hope that they can coincide peacefully with no hens to fight over.

Will you choose when they mate or will you never let them in with the hens?

 

[Jessibel]

It’s not really even a minimum, breeders use 1-10 for 100% fertility. I have 20 hens to 1 rooster and still have several hens with bare heads and 1 hen (his favorite) with a bare back.

Would 1 to 5 work if i give the hens a break a few day a week in mating season? I could make a pen right beside my existing one to keep the rooster in to give the hens a break.