how many roosters do you keep?

[WarrenHound]

i have heard of people having as many as 3 in a large coop how many roosters have you kept together safely and were they the same breed and around the same size?

currently i only have 1 roo but i am considering getting another around the same size as my other roo a silkie bantam the other roo would be a cochin bantam. i have a large coop but wanted to have a male cochin around for some purebred cochins i can divide the coop if necessary.

bad picture of my coop an altered horse stall and tack room.




i have about 28 chickens including some i ordered that havent arrived yet.. in the even i get "accidental" roos how many do you think i could realistically keep in this coop so i will know how many i can keep and how many i need to rehome.

 

[gryeyes]

I have had as many as 18 roosters, all different breeds (and ages), in my flock at one time. Currently I have 3 adult roosters, the dominant Roo Carl - an Easter Egger - his first lieutenant Bernard - a HUGE Buff Brahma - and Max the Silkie. Oh, and Jack the White Crested Black Polish, who has never crowed (yet!) so I'm hoping to keep him a secret roo. Then there's about four juvenile roosters who have not yet crowed.

No problems in the past 3 years except for twice, and that was due to two different roosters whose personalities were just too mean, so they went to Freezer Camp.

Everybody "knows" Carl is the Boss Chicken and Bernard will back him up or initiate discipline on his own (settling hen squabbles, reminding juvenile roos they have no status, etc.)

The only reason I don't have more roosters is the neighbors have requested I keep no more than two roosters at a time.

Apparently, according to Rooster Pundits, my situation is unusual, as I heard ALL the arguments about multiple roosters in a flock. "You can only have ONE rooster or they'll kill each other." Nope, hasn't happened. It was very hard to re-home some of my favorites and to pick just two roosters to keep. (Max and Jack are my "under the neighbors' radar" roosters.).

Everybody sleeps in the same coop, which is a transmorgrifed garage about 17 by 20 feet. Carl and Bernard have "top rung" rights on the ladder style roost system.

 

[WarrenHound]

gryeyes: lol some of my relatives have kept 2 so i know its possible i just dont want an incident from what you said i should think about rehoming or freezers if the personalities of the roo's clash and they become royal pains in the patooky. ty

i plan to separate once a month into the other half of the coop so i might be able to get some eggs that i know for sure who they came from for the incubator and since i love cochins so much i REALLY want a cochin roo =S can't resist.

who can resist??

 

[Stewzoo]

I currently have 10 roos living together. There are 10 hens as well. They are Belgian D'Uccles and seem to tolerate each other well. I never have any fighting except for girl squabbles over treats. The girls are piggies when the treats come out and the boys are so kind to make sure the girls get the treats first.

I also have a free range flock. These are standard sized chickens, and I had 4 roosters in this flock to 12 girls. I did not have any problems with the boys fighting. I only had problems with too many boys for the girls and the girls started to be all bald. I made the choice to go down to one rooster for the girls sake. Since going down to 1 roo in the free range flock, I have added 5 pet quality D'uccle cockerels to that mix and have not had any issues. They free range and are not confined to any areas though. When they go in the coop at night, everyone has their own spot and there is not any squabbling.

I would be careful introducing adult roo to adult roo though, that may be recipe for trouble.

 

[leadwolf1]

I currently have 3 bachelor coops. I have 20 roosters and not enough hens, by far. All the boys are separated by size and hatch date. I don't eat my roos and due to Marek's, I can't give them away. So, they have lifetime rights to their bachelor coops.

 

[chickenzoo]

I probably have a hundred roos.....many free range together...some penned together...everything from Serama to Jersey Giant. I use to have just a rooster pen...about 20 roos together...I enjoy them so..I let most just free range. I keep most of my hens in another area or paired up in pens. Not many fights...mine have been switched around all their lives so they are pretty use to it.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I try to keep three roosters for every 12 hens or so. Right now I have three adult roosters plus a cockerel or two that will leave soon. I've never had a problem, although sometimes we'll get some rooster fights in the spring when one of the other roosters decides to challenge Bruce for the top spot. All it takes is me wading in with a broom to break things up, and that's the end of it. I've never had any blood drawn, but they have lost a feather or two. The rest of the time, they are out in the pasture together and sleep side by side on the perch at night.

 

[darin367]

i keep 15 hens, and 2 roos..... right now i've got 1 more juvy roo coming and will prob. keep him too....... don't worry about the killing eachother thing.. i've found that if the weaker roo can run away then no problem.. also they seem to call some type of truce at dusk!!!! looks to me like you could have 2 or 3 roos..... enjoy...

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

i've found that if the weaker roo can run away then no problem..

I think this is the important part. Be sure that there's plenty of room so the loser can get away from the fight, and you'll be OK.

 

[WarrenHound]

thanks everyone

someone mentioned the introductions of adults as a problem should i try to introduce the second roo as a juvenile?
thanks again everyone.