How many Cockerels can you keep?

[Chloesmama]

I have 2 separate areas to keep chickens and the plan was to open it up, but I may need to keep them separate so I can keep another boy. We hatched out 10 eggs and it appears 5 are boys. They are 7 weeks old now. There are 5 pullets that were hatched at the same time. They are all together, outside now. We have 12 full sized hens in the large area. How many of the boys can we keep? The boys are all silkie/ bantam Cochin mixes.

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

I'd probably say two, one for each area

 

[Compost King]

So many factors involved in that, I have had many cockerels get along in a mixed flock and I have had 2 cockerels start fighting before they were even full size. If I have a lot of Cockerels I just raise them until there are problems and I start culling them for meat. The size of the pens are often a factor. Hen to cockerel Ration is a factor. Then there are factors I can not explain.

 

[Chloesmama]

Thanks for the responses. My kids are hoping to keep all of them, but I am already seeing some serious fighting just with the boys. I will likely get rid of the ones that are creating the problems and see where to go from there