Help! Chicken Game of Thrones! Who do I put where?

[Ninjasquirrel]

By my count, you've got 5 roosters and 5 hens. You've also got 3 older hens bullying 2 younger hens. Am I right?

I suggest you put the younger hens in the quarantine pen, the older hens in your main pen, and the roosters somewhere else. It sounds like the quarantine pen adjoins the main pen, so the different ages of hens can get used to each other.

For the roosters: you need another pen, since you either can't or won't butcher/kill them or give them away. (Lots of people advise killing them because some of us like to eat chicken, and because it's an "easy" fix--you never again have to make decisions about those particular birds.)

Several people had ideas for quick coops. Here's another: chain link dog run (several panels that fasten together), plus a doghouse or similar inside for bad weather. This is not be a predator proof setup, but could be a quick way to keep the chickens from killing each other while you figure out something better.

I agree that building a bachelor coop is the best option. If she plans to have them breed, giving them away or sending them to chicken heaven will just be a temporary solution to a permanent problem. She could rehome all but one for now but then if they breed again...it's a 50/50 shot for a boy or a girl...and then you be right back where you started. A bachelor coop will eliminate the OPs current AND future predicament

 

[Fishychick]

What is OP? I don't plan to let them have more babies, at least while I have more than one rooster. I may have had a lapse in judgement letting Perky incubate all those eggs but I'm not completely insane! Daffy is brooding on nothing but I remove the eggs that the others dump under her every day. Daffy was previously stuck broody for more than 3 months until I finally took all the nest boxes out for two weeks. That worked for a few months, and then she started again. Anyway, yes, the plan is for some of the roosters (it's too small for all of them) to go in the other area but, as I said, it's not complete, and I can't finish it with a wave of a magic wand. Today, I went and bought some 2x4's so I could put up at least one temporary roost in the small run (temporary because it goes through where the wall is missing on the little house). Birds can't be in there long term without a way up to get out of each other's way. The main run has a jungle of perches. I had to open the door between the runs wide to get the 10' long wood in so all the chickens are together again. All but Daffy (who is sitting in the dog house on nothing) are happily roosting in their usual night spot right now. My hope is that they can get along until I can get that handyman out. I can't have him out sooner because I only get 10 days off a year at my job which are already scheduled. The handyman won't work weekends, and he doesn't understand what I want so he can't work alone. I have a brother who has as much handyman skills as the chickens, and my other relatives are always "too busy" to help me. In case you didn't know, an entirely new run cannot be put up quickly especially without a lot of money which I overspent on the chicken house and run as it is. I have put more ads out as well to try to find some of the cockerels new homes. So, there's a plan in action. When the 60-year-old handyman comes, there can't be any birds in the quarantine area because he's scared of them so, if I can avoid moving birds in there before then, it's better. If they can't get along before the smaller house is ready, I can put all the girls in there again or some of the boys (not all, it's way too small for that). Perky made it to the high roost tonight somehow. She's cuddled with Angel. The hens have a love/hate relationship with the roosters. They run from them but then run to them when they cluck with food or want to cuddle overnight. I also have some dog kennels if worse comes to worse; I can put sick chickens in there as I have in the past. As you know though, any birds that I separate for more than a few days will have trouble going back to the flock without being attacked if I move them around. And, anyone who wants to come help enlarge the quarantine area by adding more area from the main run is welcome to come help me out (I would pay of course) but they'll have to work around 5 rambuncious roosters. I have tons of leftover wire. I'm just too old and weak to lift and hold up heavy pieces of wood, wire, build doors, etc.

 

[Qwerty3159]

If the dog kennels are appropriately sized perhaps it would be good to put the roosters who can't go with other roosters in them until you have things figured out.

 

[NatJ]

What is OP?

Original Poster--the person who started the thread. In this case it's you, Fishychick.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Original Poster--the person who started the thread. In this case it's you, Fishychick.

And TLDR is Too Long Didnt Read. Just Fyi (for your information)

 

[Khalpers]

I’ve been a vegetarian for 20 years. I would sooner cull some roosters than allow them to torture my hens. I agree that if you figure out the rooster situation, the older hens will stop picking on the pullets. You said the only joy you’ve ever found in chickens is when they are babies. Have you ever had an all-female flock? It’s very different. I hope you find a solution that works for your hens. Good luck.

 

[TwoShepherds]

How are things going OP? What did you decide? I'm sorry you're not enjoying your chickens right now. I know I would be very stressed and unhappy if my flock was fighting and bullying each other.

I would make sure that your coop and runs have enough space (4 sq feet in the coop per chicken and 10 sq feet per in the run). Are there diversions in the run? Multiple feeding and water stations? Things for the bullied birds to run and hide behind?

I'm new to chickens, but in a situation like that, it seems like we have to put the needs of the flock over the needs of individuals or they all will suffer. Even though chickens are domesticated, and even though we love them like pets, they are still chickens--there are certain behaviors that they are just going to have.

I agree that if other options of thinning the flock are not viable, then perhaps a bachelor coop and run is worth a try. I too have had difficulty finding handymen or contractors willing to work on chicken coops/runs, so I can emphasize. Perhaps, chain link dog kennels would be an option for runs, lined with hardware cloth if you have lots of predators, with dog-house type coops?

If buying or building new coop(s) or runs is not an option, you may have to make some hard decisions and remove some cockerels if you want to have a happy health flock.

 

[Fishychick]

OP is here. The chickens are all together. I can't watch them all the time but, when I do watch, things are pretty calm. Only the daddy rooster and most dominant of the four cockerels mate with the hens that I've seen. The others will try but then either the hen herself or the dominant chases them off but does not continue to engage after that point. I just mounted two bowls up on the run roosts so birds up there can eat and drink without having to come down but today, almost everybody was on the ground which surprised me. Anyway, as I said, the smaller little house that was never completed is slated to be done at the end of October. Once that's set up, then I can contain chickens in there full time without as much guilt but twice the feeding/watering chores. I may not need to do that right away depending on how they are getting along. I love my chickies, and I do enjoy watching them but none of them want to have anything to do with me (except daddy who wants to get me but was actually ignoring me today!). They have straw and roosts all over and get fruits and veggies in the morning and dried mealworms in the afternoon. They love to eat (of course).

When I was trying to find someone to renovate my chicken house (all my chickens had died off so it was empty and falling apart), all but one said "no way!" They didn't consider it a real project! Yet, the guy I did use spent about three weeks on it and still didn't finish. The last day, he left with the wire sitting loose on top without calling or e-mailing me. When I e-mailed him, he blamed me claiming I wanted him to "kill himself" navigating the wooden structure in the rain. Um, all he had to do was come back another day! I broke ties with him then.

As I said, I have the extra coop and run but the coop is missing 1.5 sides and a roof thanks to that contractor never finishing! It is contained (chickens can't get out). I'm working on getting that done. Then, I can put some roosters in there (not all; it's too small).

As far as "removing" cockerels, how do you suggest doing that when:
1. I won't kill them.
2. I won't release them.
3. Nobody wants them alive.

My original post has the square footage. It's 355 square feet (both houses and both runs) or 35 square feet per bird.

 

[ezeo]

Can you bring the cockerels inside the house, to live with you? Maybe a spare bathroom or laundry room. A lot of people have house chickens. They will be safe inside, and won't fight if they can't see the hens.

 

[CindyinSD]

I can’t read all this above. You seem to be wishing for a clever solution to make everyone happy again with no sacrifice or work. You have too many birds for your available accommodations, and too many males for your available females.

If you mean to keep all the boys, they will need their own bachelor pad where they cannot see the females. Choose one male and one only to stay with the hens—or keep the hens & pullets in a ladies-only flock. You already have a place for your ladies. Now build a place for your gents. Make it big enough, and if the henhouse is too small, then add on some space to it as well. I cannot overstate this:

If they are crowded, they will fight and get sick and dirty up their space. It will stink no matter how deep the litter or how frequent your cleanings. If you get a visit from animal welfare and your birds are crowded and as a result, filthy and sick, they will remove them and maybe even file charges.

I know how fast these things can get out of hand. There is no magic solution to your situation. You need to build a shelter or purchase and alter a shed for your boys. You need to fence a separate yard for them, or allow them to free range and accept the possibility they may be taken by predators. You must not, however, allow them to congregate outside the hens’ yard or they will fight one another. YOU must do these things, not someone else because from what you’ve said, there IS no one else to do them for you.

Alternatively you can offer the extra birds of whichever sex on Craig’s List on a “don’t ask: don’t tell” basis. If you do this and manage to get some interest, then the birds become someone else’s problem. You won’t need to do all the extra work or buy all the extra feed. You can go back to your several nice little hens in their “just so” cottage and enjoy your pets. It’s your choice... either way is fine. One is just more work and more expensive.