How many Polish Roos Can I Have?

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

Hello!
I recently purchased 5 Polish chicks. They are 6 weeks old. I have read what seems to be a lot of conflicting information about how to tell if they are hens or roos. I am pretty certain I have at least 2 roos, the other 3 I am not sure. I really do not want to have to get rid of any of them. Can they live peacefully together if I end up with all roos? I do have 8 hens of different breeds that are a lot older than my polish posse. I am hoping to eventually put them all together in the same coop and run.

Thanks!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Probably not with a 5:8 ratio.

If you keep all the male's physically seperate from the females, the odds go ip

 

[BDutch]

Can you post some pictures?

If you have 3 pullets an 2 cockerels it might work to integrate them with the adults, eventually . 2 cockerels growing up together is quite often no problem.

If you have 5 cockerels and you want to keep them you can separate them as a different flock.

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

Probably not with a 5:8 ratio.

If you keep all the male's physically seperate from the females, the odds go ip

yeah, that is what I figured but was hoping for a better result. Maybe I will just keep 2. Hopefully I will not have more than 2. Fingers crossed!

 

[BDutch]

yeah, that is what I figured but was hoping for a better result. Maybe I will just keep 2. Hopefully I will not have more than 2. Fingers crossed!

If you post individual photos, there are possibly some cracks who can tell male /female. If not now then probably in a few weeks.

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

If you post individual photos, there are possibly some cracks who can tell male /female. If not now then probably in a few weeks.

Okay. I will post some pics. They are too young still to see saddle feathers or anything. They are 6 seeks old. I heard Polish chicks are hard to sex. I will post pics in a few minutes.

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

Can you post some pictures?

If you have 3 pullets an 2 cockerels it might work to integrate them with the adults, eventually . 2 cockerels growing up together is quite often no problem.

If you have 5 cockerels and you want to keep them you can separate them as a different flock.

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

I will create another post with pics.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Can they live peacefully together if I end up with all roos? I do have 8 hens of different breeds that are a lot older than my polish posse. I am hoping to eventually put them all together in the same coop and run.

No one can tell you for sure what will happen, whether you have 2 boys or 5. My main suggestion is to base your actions on what you see, not what we tell you might happen. Pay attention to what we say might happen so you know what to be prepared for, they might actually happen. It is possible you will have no problems whatsoever. It's possible some of the boys will fight to the death, especially during puberty, or it is possible they find a way to get along. It's possible they will be so rough on the girls you can't stand for them to be together, especially during puberty. It's possible the hens will be so brutal to the boys you'll want to separate them, especially during puberty. Usually if they can get through puberty they settle down but not all make it through puberty. So have a plan to separate one, some, or all of them on short notice. If you need it, you can need it quickly.

The more room you have the better. That helps during integration, puberty, and later when they are adults. During integration and puberty there will probably be a lot of running away and avoiding. That may be the boys running from each other of maybe running from the hens or hens running from boys. One way the boys might possibly work it out is that the stronger carve out their own territory and attract what hens they can and they stay separate. The weaker boys may form a bachelor flock and stay on the periphery of the other flock or flocks. I've had two boys hang together with some of the girls while a third boy had his own harem. There are all kinds of ways they can pair up or work together, or they may be unable to work together at all. Many people successfully keep a bachelor flock, no girls allowed. It doesn't always work but it often does.

I'd start integrating now. It often seems to work better if you start young. No guarantees and I don't know what your facilities look like so I can't give specific hints but we do it all the time. Puberty may be another challenge.

When you start that other thread can you put a link on this thread so we can fine it.

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

No one can tell you for sure what will happen, whether you have 2 boys or 5. My main suggestion is to base your actions on what you see, not what we tell you might happen. Pay attention to what we say might happen so you know what to be prepared for, they might actually happen. It is possible you will have no problems whatsoever. It's possible some of the boys will fight to the death, especially during puberty, or it is possible they find a way to get along. It's possible they will be so rough on the girls you can't stand for them to be together, especially during puberty. It's possible the hens will be so brutal to the boys you'll want to separate them, especially during puberty. Usually if they can get through puberty they settle down but not all make it through puberty. So have a plan to separate one, some, or all of them on short notice. If you need it, you can need it quickly.

The more room you have the better. That helps during integration, puberty, and later when they are adults. During integration and puberty there will probably be a lot of running away and avoiding. That may be the boys running from each other of maybe running from the hens or hens running from boys. One way the boys might possibly work it out is that the stronger carve out their own territory and attract what hens they can and they stay separate. The weaker boys may form a bachelor flock and stay on the periphery of the other flock or flocks. I've had two boys hang together with some of the girls while a third boy had his own harem. There are all kinds of ways they can pair up or work together, or they may be unable to work together at all. Many people successfully keep a bachelor flock, no girls allowed. It doesn't always work but it often does.

I'd start integrating now. It often seems to work better if you start young. No guarantees and I don't know what your facilities look like so I can't give specific hints but we do it all the time. Puberty may be another challenge.

When you start that other thread can you put a link on this thread so we can fine it.

Thank you so much, Here is the link;

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...these-polish-babes-are.1551856/#post-26237204