How many rooster's should I keep for 20 hens in a 336 square foot space?

[Tina Shelton]

I have 20 hens and 3 rooster's in a 12x16 outdoor lot attached to a 12x12 coop....a total of 336 square feet. Their only 2 months old but I'm worried about when their male hormones kick in. How many roosters are safe to keep?
In addition, Do you think my space is too small? I've always let my chickens free range so I'm not familiar with keeping them cooped up (lol, pun intended!). I'm not liking it too well. But it's just not safe where I live.
Thanks in advance!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Your run will be tight with that many birds in confinement and you may end up with troubles. I would keep only one rooster unless you need them for some reason. Two will often fight constantly, and three is too many.

 

[keesmom]

Do you plan to hatch? If not then there is no reason to keep any of the males.

 

[Tina Shelton]

Yes, I had planned on it. Unless I have no way of expanding. I definitely don't want to over crowd. I know I don't have to have a rooster. I've had chickens since I was a little girl...just never confined to a small area. And it has been a few years being out of practice. I was wondering how they will behave when getting older being around females and all wanting to be king of the roost.

 

[Tina Shelton]

Your run will be tight with that many birds in confinement and you may end up with troubles. I would keep only one rooster unless you need them for some reason. Two will often fight constantly, and three is too many.

I was thinking the same. Oh, how do I pick??? I'll wait and check out their personalities. Thanks for your response. It helps in making decisions.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I was thinking the same. Oh, how do I pick??? I'll wait and check out their personalities. Thanks for your response. It helps in making decisions.

I generally wait until they start making trouble, any where from 4-12 months. Some never do others are too much. I pull the most obnoxious ones. I never rush my rooster decisions and often switch them out until I determine which I want to keep. Roosters can take up to 2 years to mature and settle down.

I think when the time comes it will be an easier decision, your hens will let you know which one or ones they like.

 

[Tina Shelton]

I generally wait until they start making trouble, any where from 4-12 months. Some never do others are too much. I pull the most obnoxious ones. I never rush my rooster decisions and often switch them out until I determine which I want to keep. Roosters can take up to 2 years to mature and settle down.

I think when the time comes it will be an easier decision, your hens will let you know which one or ones they like.

Great to know. I can already tell my leghorn is a feisty one. He was trying to flog my dog today through the fence. I guess he was trying to tell him to shut up. His barking was getting a little annoying. Lol. He's also the first one trying crow. It's pretty funny. I guess he's going through puberty.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If any become human aggressive it will also make your decision easier, hopefully that doesn't happen. Standing up to the dog is admirable.

 

[Bonnie Cogburn]

I have two Roos with 26 hens. They're coop is 1 & 1/2 acres long by 1 acre wide. And a 60 ft long by 25 ft wide small pen to raise our babies up in. And the big hens can see the little hens to make intergrating easier. Had four Roos but had to slim them down with all the fighting going on. Took us a month of rotating the Roos to decide who we wanted to keep.

 

[aart]

I have 20 hens and 3 rooster's in a 12x16 outdoor lot attached to a 12x12 coop....a total of 336 square feet. Their only 2 months old but I'm worried about when their male hormones kick in. How many roosters are safe to keep?
In addition, Do you think my space is too small? I've always let my chickens free range so I'm not familiar with keeping them cooped up (lol, pun intended!). I'm not liking it too well. But it's just not safe where I live.
Thanks in advance!!

Nice sized coop...but run may get tight with that many.
Might want to think about paring down the population numbers.
Think about setting up a separation area in your coop,
wire wall with easy human access to tend the detainees.
Even better would be if it could have separate access to a small run,
either an additional run or a segment of existing one.
It will work for an isolation pen for rowdy young males...and later down the road for brooding/growing out replacement layers.
Don't know your long term goals, but that's my suggestion.