HEY! Whats a boy doing in our flock? Now what?

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Hello BYC friends, I purchased 3 baby chicks. Thought they were all female. Learned at 9 weeks that the Americana is a boy. I dont want him fertilizing eggs. Can he live a fulfilled life if hes kept separated from the others? i doubt it. Trying to figure out how to move forward. i would love to experience a Rooster as I've never had one, but, at what cost, ya know? Any help would be appreciated. I have lots of space and we free range a lot. Hes all over the place and even jumped on top of the flocks top hen, a 3 year old Buff!! Thank you

 

[Cheekychook12]

Hello BYC friends, I purchased 3 baby chicks. Thought they were all female. Learned at 9 weeks that the Americana is a boy. I dont want him fertilizing eggs. Can he live a fulfilled life if hes kept separated from the others? i doubt it. Trying to figure out how to move forward. i would love to experience a Rooster as I've never had one, but, at what cost, ya know? Any help would be appreciated. I have lots of space and we free range a lot. Hes all over the place and even jumped on top of the flocks top hen, a 3 year old Buff!! Thank you

Even if he fertilises the eggs they won’t hatch or develop if you collect them, you can also keep him by himself
Are you worried about him harassing the hens?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Even if he does fertilize the eggs, you'd never know it when cooking or baking with them if you gather them daily.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Even if he fertilises the eggs they won’t hatch or develop if you collect them, you can also keep him by himself
Are you worried about him harassing the hens?

I am.

 

[Cheekychook12]

I am.

Then what I’d try since it sounds like he’s already having a go is to separate him until he’s older and less teen hormoney
How many hens do you have?

 

[Perris]

i would love to experience a Rooster as I've never had one, but, at what cost, ya know? Any help would be appreciated. I have lots of space and we free range a lot. Hes all over the place and even jumped on top of the flocks top hen, a 3 year old Buff!! Thank you

A rooster can bring a significant plus to a free ranging flock, namely, full time guard duty. Once he gets through the jerk teenage phase, he could prove to be more of a benefit than a cost.

And if you want more chickens in the future, he also offers the promise of a free self-sustaining flock.

 

[Lulu-vt]

Roosters are awesome to have in your flock. Give him a chance. Yes, he will mount the ladies but if he’s a good rooster then everything just continues as normal. They are great protectors and they keep the drama down between the hens (not that you have very many). Spend time with him and handle him as much as possible.
You would only have to worry about fertile eggs if you didn’t collect them. We collect ours daily. Eggs take 21 days to hatch if there is a broody hen to incubate them.

 

[WildNectarine]

Hello BYC friends, I purchased 3 baby chicks. Thought they were all female. Learned at 9 weeks that the Americana is a boy. I dont want him fertilizing eggs. Can he live a fulfilled life if hes kept separated from the others? i doubt it. Trying to figure out how to move forward. i would love to experience a Rooster as I've never had one, but, at what cost, ya know? Any help would be appreciated. I have lots of space and we free range a lot. Hes all over the place and even jumped on top of the flocks top hen, a 3 year old Buff!! Thank you

I’m a quail person, but I’ve faced a similar issue with having a too plentiful a heaping of males; in my opinion, hens don’t deserve to be harassed unless you’re specifically breeding, and they should only be exposed to fertilize, and then separated once more, unless they are bonded, because, in the wild, hens have the option to run off into the sunset and never return if they choose, but here in our captivity, they are forced to endure; and as far as “protection” of the flock goes, you and your superior mind are far better at doing that than a rooster ever will be, you have the ability to outsmart threats with preparation, he doesn’t, and his safety matters, too, so don’t just toss him into the fray, for as much as he may be spunky, and even at times “mean”, he’s just a bird trying to satisfy hormones he doesn’t understand, it’s the same as being hungry or thirsty to them; but it’s with this superior human mind that I’ve discovered plushies for roosters, coturnix quail ones, anywho; I buy about four of the same plush, wash about every day/every other day, making sure to toss the new one in before I take the old one out, and they always have one in their crate with them when I clean, and I have no issues with crowing or separation anxiety, they’re all happy guys, completely alone, aggressive as they are; So, that’s one wildly different option for you! Separate with a plush, and plenty of treats, too. Hope any of this can help you, wish you and him much luck.