Help! Two of our chickens may be roosters!

[The Happy Chicken]

L

About two and a half months ago we bought 6 baby chicks from the farm store. Among those chicks were an ameracuana and a Brahma. Now we are starting to think those two may be roosters. Am member of our family went out and says they heard the Brahma crowing. The farm store manager said that they were all hens Please help us identify if they’re roosters and if so any suggestions as to what to do? And eating them is not an option! Those chickens belong to the kids in the family. I have included photos of both breeds.

 

[PachecoPeeps]

The EE for sure is a cockerel. You can tell by the red patches on the wings. The Braham also looks like a male. Unless you buy sex links or auto sexing breeds you really aren't guaranteed girls. Sexing chicks is not always accurate.

 

[Gray Farms]

Yep, there both cockerels.

 

[The Happy Chicken]

The EE for sure is a cockerel. You can tell by the red patches on the wings. The Braham also looks like a male. Unless you buy sex links or auto sexing breeds you really aren't guaranteed girls. Sexing chicks is not always accurate.

Do you have any idea on what we could do? I know there is supposed to be at least ten hens per rooster and they aren’t very aggressive

 

[PirateGirl]

What do you mean when you ask what you should do? Are you not allowed to keep roosters? If you can keep them, maybe wait and see how the flock dynamics shake out as everyone matures. I found personalities changes as well as the pecking order when sexual maturity hit my flock. If they don't get along we can certainly give you ideas of ways to construct a divider or something if we get pictures of your setup. There is a buy/sell/trade section on BYC for re-homing, farm and garden section on CL, and often state chicken swap groups on FB. I'm sure others can offer advice to minimizing crowing disturbances if that is of concern too. Perhaps going to an ag/poultry swap with the family would be fun if you are trying to re-home them so the kiddos can meet the new owners and also check out all the other animals.

 

[Gray Farms]

Rehome them or get several more females. 8-10 females to 1 male is about right.

 

[Flockandfowl46]

Both cockerals

 

[The Happy Chicken]

What do you mean when you ask what you should do? Are you not allowed to keep roosters? If you can keep them, maybe wait and see how the flock dynamics shake out as everyone matures. I found personalities changes as well as the pecking order when sexual maturity hit my flock. If they don't get along we can certainly give you ideas of ways to construct a divider or something if we get pictures of your setup. There is a buy/sell/trade section on BYC for re-homing, farm and garden section on CL, and often state chicken swap groups on FB. I'm sure others can offer advice to minimizing crowing disturbances if that is of concern too. Perhaps going to an ag/poultry swap with the family would be fun if you are trying to re-home them so the kiddos can meet the new owners and also check out all the other animals.

We are allowed to keep roosters but we are not able to have 20 plus hens for them.

 

[Gray Farms]

Sounds like you'll need to rehome one or both of them then.

 

[woodenfarm]

I would keep one of you want and rehome the other one