how many roo's

[Azriel]

how many roo's can be kept together? I plan on having maybe 30 hens, and would like 3 roo's. Right now I have 16 hens and 1 roo, a BA, but would love a LavOrp, and a SLW. I really would not able to keep each roo in their own pen with a group of hens. Also, how long do you have to have a roo and hen together by themselfs before you know that the chicks from that hens eggs will be from that roo.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

If you order female chicks, there is only 90% accuracy and you might end up with your roos. That's all I can help you with.

The rest I really don't know. I have 7 roos and have 2 more on order. But I have two flocks and 8 of the roos will be in one flock. Some people have said that they notice the roos all mating with one female cruelly, one after another when they have too many roos. Mine are still young and so I cannot advise you.

 

[pascopol]

..." there is only 90% accuracy and you might end up with your roos"

Isn't it amazing? Hatcheries claim only 90% accuracy when you buy pullets, but they always achieve 100% accuracy when you buy cockreals only. It happened to me more than once in my early years when I was not incubating yet, that was why I ordered roosters only for frying pan few times. Never received any pullet with them.

 

[jenjscott]

I think that's because if its questionable they throw it in the pullet pen. No other explanation.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
The established rooster will HATE the newbies and war will result. A hen needs 3 weeks minimum to "clean out". Hope you get my meaning.........Pop

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
No other explanation really? How about that they add up to 5% cockreals to all pullet orders? And in case there is more than 5% they make a disclaimer offering refund for "excess" roos.

That way hatcheries are guaranteed to sell 5% roos as pullets, when you consider thousands of birds they sell that,s a significant amount of money.


If in doubt always look for money trail.

 

[NonnasBabies]

Quote:
Isn't this the truth. I just added a few months ago 1 rooster and 27 pullets to my flock of 1 rooster and 18 pullets. My rooster I've been having can't stand the younger one. Bad thing is I plan on adding another rooster with 3 more pullets as soon as they get big enough so we'll see how that goes. I'm not really looking forward to it. I know that I've heard if you raise the roosters together you don't have as many problems but I can't tell you that first hand!!

Missi

 

[rcentner]

I have 4 roos right now (had 8). The 4 get along pretty well.
2 of the roos were raised together from chickhood

1 was introduced when he was about 4 months old to my BR roo. If my BR was not nice it could have gone badly, but he is a non confrontational roo. So, my BR roo accepted my 4 month old BLR wyandotte just fine and now that my BLRW is mature they still get along.

Just last week I put them all together (I had them separated as a banty flock and a standard flock) and they are doing amazingly well. They have established an order...BR roo is number 1 and he looks after everyone, BLRW roo is 2nd and gets in trouble with my BR for mating the wrong hens (but no fights ever break out, just running away from the aggressor), my phoenix mix roo is 3rd (my BLRW hates him) and my bantam cochin roo is last.

They have a wonderful dynamic and even though my BLRW hates the phoenix roo, they just keep their distance. Or I should say the phoenix roo stays away from my BLRW. Funny thing is my BR roo will break up any arguments between the BLRW and the phoenix, he always jumps in the middle of them when the phoenix is being chased. What a gentleman. He seems to strive for a calm, orderly flock. I just make sure that they all have room enough to run away from eachother if need be. (Since they are in runs and not free range)

now I have no idea what my BR roo had growing up, I got him at an auction so it's possible he grew up with other roos and that could be why he is so tolerant.

there's my roo story...it all depends on the roo's. I have had roos that WILL NOT get along with other roos at all and OEGB roos are pretty fiesty and I bet having more than 1 roo with that breed would be a task or a bloody mess.

 

[Judy]

3 roos to 30 hens is fine, but a previous poster was right, prepare for war. There are ways to minimize it. If you are clever and lucky, you will end up with 3 groups of chickens, each having one roo and his harem. Best chance of this if you free range.

This article may be helpful:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock