Help! 3 out of my 4 chicks are cockrels.

[chickenmomma912]

Hello fellow chicken lovers,

I am pretty much new to raising chickens. I need advice about my roo’s and whether or not I can keep all 3. This is what I have:

YOUNG HENS 5 (got my first egg yesterday!!! J)

2 barred rocks, 1 Buff Orphington, 1 Black Sex link, 1 Silver laced Wyandotte

CHICKS (about 16 weeks old) 4

2 silkies (1 roo/1 pullet), 2 frizzled bantam roo’s ~ (I THINK they are bantams??? PLEASE ADVISE)

I got 4 new chicks from a local breeder about 14 weeks ago and 3 are roo’s. I am attached to them all but will do what I need to do to keep them safe. They just started crowing a few days ago. I really appreciate any advice you have..

 

[DobieLover]

You are likely going to have to either pen the cockerels separately in a bachelor pad or choose your best one and rehome the others.
They will likely start to fight when the hormones really kick in. Your older pullets (not yet hens) may help keep them in line but I wouldn't count on it.

 

[Keeperofmunchkins]

3 cockerels with 5 older pullets is very unlikely to ever work well. It would be best to keep one cockerel and rehome the others. Even if you got more hens, the cockerels would likely fight over them later.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! I agree that one cockerel will be plenty for your small flock!
You problem will be choosing who to keep! These are all babies, and you are new to chickens, so evaluating cockerel temperament will be a learning experience.
In general, the 'friendly' cockerels are actually bold, and likely to be hand fed and 'spoiled', and are more likely to become rude to humans as they mature. Not always, but often. Boys who aren't so forward towards you, and spend their time 'being chickens' tend to be better. Maybe.
You might have a group of sweethearts, or not, and it takes some more time to sort them out.
Will you be raising chicks? Then consider which cockerel best fits into future breeding plans. Any have conformation faults? Crooked legs, tails not straight, or already challenging you?
It's not unreasonable to move all these cockerels along elsewhere this year, and raise some straight run chicks next spring, so you can choose then, with adult hens, and more experience.
Mary

 

[chickenmomma912]

Welcome! I agree that one cockerel will be plenty for your small flock!
You problem will be choosing who to keep! These are all babies, and you are new to chickens, so evaluating cockerel temperament will be a learning experience.
In general, the 'friendly' cockerels are actually bold, and likely to be hand fed and 'spoiled', and are more likely to become rude to humans as they mature. Not always, but often. Boys who aren't so forward towards you, and spend their time 'being chickens' tend to be better. Maybe.
You might have a group of sweethearts, or not, and it takes some more time to sort them out.
Will you be raising chicks? Then consider which cockerel best fits into future breeding plans. Any have conformation faults? Crooked legs, tails not straight, or already challenging you?
It's not unreasonable to move all these cockerels along elsewhere this year, and raise some straight run chicks next spring, so you can choose then, with adult hens, and more experience.
Mary

Thank you Mary!! No conformation faults. I want to keep my black one (Raschal). Do you think he would be good for breeding in the future? I have twin girls that are 10 and we want to just hatch a few We love our chickens

 

[Folly's place]

Do you mean that cute frizzle in the picture? Do you want smaller birds, and frizzles, mixing him with your standard hens next year? Usually frizzles are bantam Cochins (is he?) and poor egg layers, compared to your standard breed hens. Will chicks of this mix work for you?
He is adorable, but is he worth it as a breeder for your flock?
Mary

 

[chickenmomma912]

Do you mean that cute frizzle in the picture? Do you want smaller birds, and frizzles, mixing him with your standard hens next year? Usually frizzles are bantam Cochins (is he?) and poor egg layers, compared to your standard breed hens. Will chicks of this mix work for you?
He is adorable, but is he worth it as a breeder for your flock?
Mary

Very good point and thank you for that. I am mainly doing this for the eggs but I have a friend from church that had some and I just had to have some. Yes that is the one I am talking of. I believe he and the black/white one are cochin frizzles. I just love him Raschal (the black one) but I will do what makes sense. That is why I am on here is for help. I want to hatch a few and the ones I do hatch I want to be good egg layers. What about the Silkie bantam??? He is the grey one. Caint wait for your reply, I am so thankful for your help!!

 

[Folly's place]

Silkies tend to be very good broody hens, although they are small. I like the Cochins too! There's no reason not to keep Raschal, he just may not be the best breeding choice for your big hens. Why not two breeding groups? I'm up to three myself!
Mary

 

[chickenmomma912]

Silkies tend to be very good broody hens, although they are small. I like the Cochins too! There's no reason not to keep Raschal, he just may not be the best breeding choice for your big hens. Why not two breeding groups? I'm up to three myself!
Mary

Oh I would love that!! I don't think I could get rid of him for sure. So it would be okay to bread the grey silkie w/the standard hens too and not just the other silkie?

 

[Folly's place]

Again, the Silkie will produce smaller less productive offspring with your standard hens.
Three breeding groups? A bunch of mixed breeds with wildly varying characteristics?
There's plenty of time to plan!
Remember that hens store semen for at least two weeks after mating, maybe longer. With separate breeding groups, that may mean separate pens for over a month at least during egg collecting time. Planning!
Mary