Guess the gender of 6 mo Silkie

[Faraday40]

I never had silkie roosters but my big docile Orpingtons have no issues with other roosters- especially if raised together or the top boy is leader while male chick/cock grows up. Sometimes a bit of a squabble in spring if younger guy challenges. Your 15:2 ratio should be good. I actually think it’s easier to have more than one rooster because they work as a team and keep each other in check. A lone rooster can sometimes get a god complex and think he rules everything- including people/dogs.

The biggest downside is the crowing. Sometimes they like to have a morning crow-off. Lol

 

[bhawk-23]

I never had silkie roosters but my big docile Orpingtons have no issues with other roosters- especially if raised together or the top boy is leader while male chick/cock grows up. Sometimes a bit of a squabble in spring if younger guy challenges. Your 15:2 ratio should be good. I actually think it’s easier to have more than one rooster because they work as a team and keep each other in check. A lone rooster can sometimes get a god complex and think he rules everything- including people/dogs.

The biggest downside is the crowing. Sometimes they like to have a morning crow-off. Lol

I am thinking it shouldn't be an issue outside of having to bring in a second rooster at night and possible morning crow offs. I am ok with both, hubs not thrilled and neighbors have been great about our rooster this far. Not sure how they will take to two though. Right now we don't put Peepers outside until 8 am. But now that Peaches is also crowing I'll have to figure out a way to bring both in. And I am wondering how they will take to being together in a wire dog crate overnight. It's big enough to fit 2-3 on the roosting bar along with room for water and food bowls. Guess I'll find out tonight. Lol

 

[Faraday40]

I am thinking it shouldn't be an issue outside of having to bring in a second rooster at night and possible morning crow offs. I am ok with both, hubs not thrilled and neighbors have been great about our rooster this far. Not sure how they will take to two though. Right now we don't put Peepers outside until 8 am. But now that Peaches is also crowing I'll have to figure out a way to bring both in. And I am wondering how they will take to being together in a wire dog crate overnight. It's big enough to fit 2-3 on the roosting bar along with room for water and food bowls. Guess I'll find out tonight. Lol

It doesn't have to be anything fancy. In a pinch, I've used a plastic storage tote. (Easy to dump and hose off when you're done.) I made a "rooster box" in my garage. It's a plastic under bed storage box to contain some bedding and some scrap pressboard around it for walls. I made a wood frame with hardware cloth for the lid. The trick is to make it short so the rooster can't stretch up to crow. It won't actually stop the crowing but I think it may reduce the volume a little. Plus the garage will help contain the noise from the neighbors. I was going to make a different lid to see if reducing light would have effect, but I worried about ventilation. It can get hot in summer and frostbite happens with improper ventilation.

My males don't fight and are always together. They sleep together and are used to being carried back and forth to the coop. I leave them in the coop until after dark because they like to fill crops before bed. When I put them outside in the morning, the first thing they do is "greet" the hens in a breeding frenzy. Yep. Every morning! I would think food/water are high on the list...... but their hens trump any other biological need.