Help me decide - keep 1 or both roos?

[patandchickens]

Nine speckled sussex, of which 2 are definitely roos (2 others with slightly suspicious-to-me looking tails, but no particular difference in combs/wattles - for now I will continue to assume they're hens). I want to be able to hatch more SS chicks next spring.

I know which roo I definitely want to keep (Pants, who is less of a noodge as well as bigger and broader than Itchy). However, I am afraid that if I eat Itchy now, something will happen to Pants over the winter and I will end up with zero roos next year

I do have extra pens where a lone roo could be housed (either permanently, or rotated with the other), although there's no way to prevent him seeing the hens and other rooster from there.

What would you do?

Thanks for all opinions,

Pat

 

[panner123]

Get 16 more hens and keep em both.
That is a 15 to 1 ratio, which is perfect.

 

[IloveTravis]

I'd say keep him, but that's probably just because I don't want him to be dinner Sorry for my distorted input

 

[pkeeler]

Keep him in case anything happens to the other. Why not? If it becomes a problem, you can always eat him.

 

[redoak]

I had the same problem and decided to keep both roosters. The keep each other company in the bachelor pad and free range together during the day. So far it's working out pretty well.

 

[patandchickens]

Thanks everyone for the input!

I was LOL at the suggestion to get more hens for the second one. Very creative

My husband would kill me

Also, I like 'em, but I dunno as I like 'em *that* much, feed bill wise

ILoveTravis, I regret to report that part of the reason I *have* these chickens is to be able to eat some of them (instead of morbidly obese factory-farmed things).

The reason I'd rather eat him sooner rather than later if that's what's going to happen is I'd rather do it whilst the eatin' is better and I've not put as much feed into him, you know?

Redoak, how old are yours? And, can they still see the hens? I'm sort of leaning towards doing that, but I am just a little skeptical of how it would work out, at least for me...

Thanks,

Pat

 

[redoak]

My roosters are 5 months old and can see the hens while free ranging and at night/morn in the coop. The hens I keep in a large run and allow the roosters to free range together. The coop has a chicken wire divider, roosters on one side, hens on other. The roosters get along fine, and ignore the hens for the most part. Occationally they will walk around the hens run, especially if one of the hens is squaking loud.

 

[panner123]

The next time you go to the feed store, bring your husband with you. Only be sure they have baby chicks for sale at that time. Walk in to JUST LOOK at the chicks. Bet you take home some baby chicks and won't even have to ask. Especially if you bring a child or grand children. Works every time I bring my DW. And the treats she gets them. As for the feed bill, let your co-workers know you have fresh eggs and you will need more hens.

 

[Emzyyy]

At the moment I have 2 roosters and a 1 hen in one run together and they don't even fight. Actually its kinda the other way around the two roosters are buddy buddy and the hen is kinda a loner.

 

[patandchickens]

Ok, I think y'all have convinced me that I will try keeping both roos. (I am posting this publicly so that I can't keep waffling and changing my mind

) If it starts not working out I will go ahead and make Itchy soup. I guess one other advantage of keeping both is that I could divide the hens in the spring and hatch some chicks from *both* roosters. Genetic diversity and all that

Thanks very much for the input!

(e.t.a.- very funny Panner

Actually I don't know if there's anywhere that actually HAS chicks in stores -- all the feedstores I know of around here, you have to order in advance, and your selection is pretty much limited to broilers, sex-links or white rocks. If feed stores around here had fluffy chicks on display I would be in serious trouble already

)

Now, to decide what to do about the four Buff Chanteclers, two of which I don't even really have a good clue whether they're boys or girls...


Pat