How many roosters?

[Farmbabies]

I was going to wait a few years before adding a rooster but my husband wants to give them a try now so here we go. In my first batch of chicks I have 7 pullets and 2 cockerels that are just about 10 weeks. Batch number 2 should have 15 pullets and 1 cockerel. While the hatchery could vent sex them wrong I’m ok with that. Meyers has a good looking guarantee. This is the first time we have bought from them and so far so good.

At this point I should have 22 pullets and 3 cockerels. The 2 cockerels are Buff Cochin and the last should be a Buckeye. As long as the Buckeye isn’t mean we plan on keeping him for sure. From the Cochin cockerels there seems to be a very clear dominant one.

Is there a benefit from keeping more than one or am I more likely to have a nicer rooster by keeping just one? Five or so years from now there is the potential for me to set up more isolated groups around the farm and keep more breeds separate from each other.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What breeds are your hens? Are these standard cochins? I've tried keeping standard Cochin roosters. They are so big and hard on the hens. I always ended up butchering them because of it.

You can just keep everyone until you start seeing troubles. Than start removing troublemakers. That's what I do.

You could possibly keep all 3, but they will be hard on your hens. 2 roosters may go at it constantly. 3 can displace aggression.

If your flock is confined it may be hard to keep more than 1 rooster. It just depends on the individual personalities.

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

What breeds are your hens? Are these standard cochins? I've tried keeping standard Cochin roosters. They are so big and hard on the hens. I always ended up butchering them because of it.

You can just keep everyone until you start seeing troubles. Than start removing troublemakers. That's what I do.

You could possibly keep all 3, but they will be hard on your hens. 2 roosters may go at it constantly. 3 can displace aggression.

If your flock is confined it may be hard to keep more than 1 rooster. It just depends on the individual personalities.

Ibe heard the same thing, you'll probably just have to wait and see. I've heard that less dominent roosters are nicer, because they don't want to upset the big guy

 

[Mrs. K]

No guarantees, but keeping the least amount of roosters tends to be best. More roosters = more chance of things going wrong.

 

[Farmbabies]

What breeds are your hens? Are these standard cochins? I've tried keeping standard Cochin roosters. They are so big and hard on the hens. I always ended up butchering them because of it.

You can just keep everyone until you start seeing troubles. Than start removing troublemakers. That's what I do.

You could possibly keep all 3, but they will be hard on your hens. 2 roosters may go at it constantly. 3 can displace aggression.

If your flock is confined it may be hard to keep more than 1 rooster. It just depends on the individual personalities.

They are standard Cochins. At ten weeks the kids already refer to one as Goliath. For hens I have buff Cochins, a partridge Cochin, barred rocks, buckeyes, a welsummer, a clean legged white maran, green queen (I think) and a lavender Orpington (everyone’s fingers are crossed.) They currently have probably close to 2,000sq ft to roam during the day. Once I get better fencing for the garden section that will increase to close to 5-6,000 sq ft. It’s a huge netted run. I hope the buckeye rooster is nice since it should be much smaller than the other two and it’s the one we would prefer to keep.

Now to hopefully find a place that will butcher any of the boys we don’t keep.

 

[birdlover2]

You really have to wait and see how it works out. Your roos may fight some at first, like hens hen-peck some until they get their pecking-order right, that is normal. However, if it continues and is constant you definately have to get rid of some of them. We have 3 bantam roosters and only 6 bantam hens. Their pecking-order is straightened out, one is dominant and he lets the others know it by fluffing up his feathers, crowing, and making other usually non-violent gestures. Sometimes their hackle feathers raise and they jump at eachother once or twice, but then they're done (and they haven't even used their spurrs or beaks!) It does depend on the rooster of course, but if they have a system going, (usually with one being dominant and keeping the others in line) just keep it the way it is, changing things could cause fights over who will be the new dominant and possibly other problems. Just because a rooster is more dominant doesn't necesarily make him a trouble maker, he may be essential to the flock structure.

 

[cottontail farm]

You might just have to wait and see their personalities. I've had several roosters over the years and the big guys (cochins, brahmas) were so sweet and gentle they became pets.

 

[aart]

No guarantees, but keeping the least amount of roosters tends to be best. More roosters = more chance of things going wrong.

Ditto Dat!

They currently have probably close to 2,000sq ft to roam during the day.

But how big is the coop?
That's the limiter.

 

[Farmbabies]

Ditto Dat!


But how big is the coop?
That's the limiter.

I am building a second one this summer. The one I have now is 4x9x6. We had someone local build that one but I don’t have the budget for that twice so the second one will be built here. Also can’t get one prebuilt through the door on the run So building one myself is a must.

 

[keesmom]

The coop is only 36 sq ft? That's going to be tight for just your first batch of chicks. Is the one you are planning to build bigger?