How many roosters?

[mich9510]

I currently have 12 JG pullets 2 JG cockerels and 1 true blue whiting cockerel. I know that's too many boys. The true blue is getting culled today. That leaves the two JG cockerels. At 21 weeks I haven't had any issues with over mating of the pullets. As soon as any of the cockeerels try to mate one of the girls, another cockerel immediately knocks him off.my largest JG is the alpha, the true blue is the beta, and my smaller JG is the lowest in the pecking order. Once the true blue is gone I'll have 2 JG cockerels. Is that too many for 12 pullets? I want the girls to eventually hatch out some chicks.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

It may not be.Just see how things go as they get older.

 

[sourland]

The problem with roosters knocking one another off the hens is that it increases the possibility of damage from toenails and spurs. If they were mine, I would either separate them into two pens or maintain one rooster with the hens and keep the other as a 'back up'.

 

[chickens really]

Yeah, only you will know if it will work.....?

When raised together the Cockerels/Roosters for the most part will follow pecking order.....It might all Change in the spring? Then again it might not?



Best of luck!


Cheers!

 

[sourland]

I remain far more concerned with the roosters injuring the hens rather than hurting one another. Gashes caused by roosters take long to heal and frequently result in fly strike.

 

[mich9510]

Dr. Strange has been dispatched and is resting in the fridge for tomorrow's dinner. We'll see what happens. Since I free range my chickens I don't really have pens for them. Just a coop to keep them safe at night and out of the weather. I am prepared to cull the second rooster if the behavior continues. Will one rooster be enough for 12 pullets if I do need to cull? And at the risk of sounding stupid, what is fly strike?

 

[dekel18042]

Dr. Strange has been dispatched and is resting in the fridge for tomorrow's dinner. We'll see what happens. Since I free range my chickens I don't really have pens for them. Just a coop to keep them safe at night and out of the weather. I am prepared to cull the second rooster if the behavior continues. Will one rooster be enough for 12 pullets if I do need to cull? And at the risk of sounding stupid, what is fly strike?

Unless he is old, one rooster is fine for 12 or more pullets.
I think by fly strike flies laying eggs in the wound is meant. They will hatch and the larvae will infect and eat at the wound

 

[bobbi-j]

One rooster is plenty for 12 hens. Personally, I'd trim down to just the one right now. A young, healthy rooster can easily cover 20+ hens. Cockerels raised together may or may not get along as they get older. Once spring and hormones hit, I would anticipate many more fights for dominance.

"Flystrike is a sanitized nickname for maggots living in and feeding on the dead skin of a live animal, which results in an infection. Flystrike can affect chickens, humans and other animals. Flystrike is also known as myiasis, blowfly strike and fly-blown."

 

[donrae]

Dr. Strange has been dispatched and is resting in the fridge for tomorrow's dinner. We'll see what happens. Since I free range my chickens I don't really have pens for them. Just a coop to keep them safe at night and out of the weather. I am prepared to cull the second rooster if the behavior continues. Will one rooster be enough for 12 pullets if I do need to cull? And at the risk of sounding stupid, what is fly strike?

Just want to toss this out there---you may want to push back chicken dinner a night or two. He's not a tender CX, so letting him rest a good 3 days will probably make you happier with the texture of the meat. A brine will help, also.

 

[mich9510]

I was planning on brining him. Thanks for the advice on waiting a little while longer. Now that I think about it, I waited 3 or 4 days before cooking my last cull (duck) and it was sooooo much better than the one before that (which I only waited about 12 hours). Dr. Strange weighed significantly less than the duck ( 3.5 lbs vs. 10 lbs) so I thought it would take less time to rest.