Hoping to start a rooster flock! Looking for tips and advice!

[Mrs. K]

I do think that is a good decision. The thing with roosters, you really cannot say, do this, and they will act like that. They are a crap shoot, and sometimes it works, sometimes it works for a while, and sometimes it just goes to hell.

MRs K

 

[janiedoe]

It can work but it depends on their personalities. A Backup plan is definitely needed.
I have 3 adult roosters, 1xl standard and 2 cochin bantams, in a pen with around 20 standard hens and 8 bantam hens. I also have a 6 week old cockerel with them. I hope I don't have to remove him. This pen works out great because the large boy is very mellow and the bantams are father and son.
I have a second pen with 4 bantam roosters and 4 hens. This pen works because the oegb rooster helped raise the other three and they behave well.
I also have 2 bachelor's pens, each with 2 roosters. These pens are divided from my main pen by hardware cloth. There is some posturing and lots of crowing but everyone gets along well.
I have had roosters that could not get along with other cockerels or roosters. I've lucked out with these guys.
Good luck with your plans. If it doesn't work out, it may in the future.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

My bad, I don't pay attention to the terminology

No problem!

Ok so I’m thinking that maybe I will rehome them. They will go to a place that has roughly two acres and tons of animals and chickens so hopefully they will be able to have hens and be happy. My other four roosters went there and I’m hoping they are still happy and healthy! I think that my huge rooster rules most of the chickens!

That home sounds awesome as long as they take care of the cockerels and roosters, and make sure there are enough hens for all of them.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

No problem!


That home sounds awesome as long as they take care of the cockerels and roosters, and make sure there are enough hens for all of them.

They don’t have a ton of hens right now because of predators so it’s like one big rooster flock. My two other silkies that live over there travel around with a bunch of other silkie boys and ignore all the hens! They are planning to get a bunch of hens though.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

They don’t have a ton of hens right now because of predators so it’s like one big rooster flock. My two other silkies that live over there travel around with a bunch of other silkie boys and ignore all the hens! They are planning to get a bunch of hens though.

Getting a lot more hens would be a good choice, considering the normal ratio of roosters to hens is 1:10. But of course hormones and preference makes that number change depending on the situation. I have a rooster that has two hens and never does much to them, his hens have the best-looking plumage because they rarely get messed with. Meanwhile I had to rehome a rooster because all he thought about was hens, he would probably have had to have thirty hens before he showed any behavioral improvement.

 

[RcoM]

When I decided to keep another rooster baby, I decided to let each have a flock of hens when old enough and run them separate. This meant chicken maths kicked in it also means our flocks (of unrelated roosters) are self sustaining as the hen chicks from one can become part of the other roosters flock. To do this, I organised a rooster swap for one of similar young age. I just contacted the owner of one who had a young one for sale and asked if he'd consider a swap. Just in case bachelor pad isn't working. At least if something happens to your rooster you will have a back up.