How do I separating roos from hens-help please!!

[HBuehler]

I disagree with several here.
4 roos together won't fight any more than 4 hens together..we keep 7 in one bachelor pad and yes they squabble but watch your hens they do as well.All are fully mature roosters.All of our big roo pads will hold up to 8 and our smaller pads 4.If you keep them together though make sure to give them enough space to have their own alone time if they want...over crowding will cause more fights than anything at any age...girls or boys.
They will not kill each other if they see hens...that roo pad has hens on both sides only separated by wire.However,they spend every morning showing the girls how handsome they are

Most of the time they just ignore them.Actually all of our roo pads have hens or pullets on both sides...just how the layout worked out when we were building.
We have 25 known roos here some are for dinner and some are for sale rest are our breeding roos.

 

[Guitartists]

What breeds are they? Some breeds and some individuals will fight more often and more vigorously than others. For instance... my La Fleche roo NEVER fights with anyone... and my Lav d'Uccle also stays out of it for the most part. My Ameraucanas have been notorious bullies... both the roos and the hens.

I have heard many say that you must have 6 hens per roo and only one roo per flock..... but honestly, after getting rid of the real troublemakers my flock has established itself with around 16 hens and 7 or so roos. There's hardly ever any fighting. The ones that were raised together help keep an eye on the flock and the oldest roo.... my little banty Cochin keeps everyone in line

Everyone sleeps and eats together. I have 3 hens that are especially 'willing' and they do tend to get a little bare in the summer from all of the attention. But you can also get or make aprons for your girls to wear if feather loss is the only issue. I mean, I have a couple of hens that do not want ANY attention from the boys.... or they only like certain roos.... but since I freerange, they just break off into their own individual groups. I think every person is going to have a different opinion for the most part because all chickens do not behave the same nor every flock have the same dynamic. There's no reason why you couldn't try splitting the run down the middle. You'll know pretty soon whether or not this is going to work. But it is hard having roos and hens..... especially if you cannot bear to part with them. Having a flock means having to make very tough choices for the betterment of the flock. I've had to part with some of my favorite birds just because they didn't mesh with the rest of the flock. And I've had to rehome or eat some gorgeous friendly roos because they were so relentless with the hens that the hens wouldn't come down off the roost

Now how about getting 4 more hens, split the run down the middle and keep 2 flocks with 2 roos and 4 hens each. Through observation and trial you can possibly find a dynamic that works with your birds, especially if they have been brooder mates.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

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This is good advice. Go ahead & try your plan, have a few alternative ideas on hand if your first plan doesn't work. I keep about 7 roosters with my main laying flock of 70 hens. They sleep & stay in several different pens, and all come out together for free-range recess in the afternoons. They all get along well for the most part, but every so often a couple of them will try to beat the giblets out of each other. Then the next day they're co-existing without fuss. Over time I will see older roosters losing their status with the flock, they spend less time in the pens, roost further away from the flock, etc. Often this political re-configuring happens without any noticeable bloodshed.

I also keep a Dinner Theater pen, other young roosters destined to be dinner guests. They usually hang out together in small groups, often with the ones they were hatched with, and seldom dare bother the laying hens. I free range them all day when they're young, and confine the next candidates in a small cage for their last few weeks. I have 5 in a small cage right now & they're not fighting, nor are they calling to the hens unless one passes right by their cage.

See how they act if they're separated but still next-door neighbors, if that doesn't work try moving them further apart.

This is why I advise all chicken keepers to have a good Plan B in mind for any unwanted roosters they may unexpectedly find themselves having. There's always a chance of this happening whenever you start with chicks or very young birds. Figure out what you'll do with them, who would take them, where they would go BEFORE you ever have the need.

I think roosters are attractive & endearing birds, but there aren't many positions open for them as flock husbands, pets, or breeders. Only the BEST deserve to be kept. And providing nourishment to an appreciative family isn't the worst thing that could happen to a rooster, in my opinion.

 

[journey11]

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I agree here. They will work out their pecking order, just like the hens do, but it is unlikely you will have any real violence (as long as you don't disturb their order like separating them from each other and bringing one back in).

My roo is separated from my hens and he is in his own pen and all he really does is just run back and forth at the fence when the hens are out. He likes to pretend he has something tasty and that they should come check it out. But they just ignore him.

 

[RevaVirginia]

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umm..er...emmm..er ah...."Removing the Testes"...arrrrgh, There I said it.

To OP...Most folks will have the decency to not tell you they're going straight in the pot when they get home. That they're going to lead a fruitful rooster life. If you have the space for separation..separate, But harmony is best...live by the ratio.

 

[deidreschultz]

We have 2 rir and 2 silkies roos. all the hens are red sex links. they are 7 mos old and i did get them at the same time, and they have been kept together ever since. they all get along perfectly fine now. the only problem i have is they are over doing the girls. they are starting to loose feathers. you can't see flesh or anything i just didn't want it to get to that point. we do have little roosts in the run they can fly up to, so they can get away if they want. i hate to get rid of the roos. they are most entertaining to watch and we do love them. i have thought about the aprons. do the hens wear them all the time? how often do you have to take them off? i do truly appreciate all the input and advice. thanks