How to divide up this year's chicks ?

[PuddleEndChicken]

I've got 17 pullets and cockerels all hatched this spring, all in the same nursery pen:

6 Pekin Bantams (3 Male & 3 Female) around 22 weeks - females don't lay until 24-28 weeks
5 Hamburgs (2 Male & 3 Female) around 22 weeks - females might be about to lay
6 Old English Game Fowl (guessing 3 Male & 3 Female) around 16 weeks but females not laying yet

There is a pecking order definitely but no real fighting and I've not seen any attempted mating at this stage.

I need to decide how to house them over the winter. I've got a few runs but can't separate everyone. 3 options that I can think of:

Option 1) keep them all in together for the winter - separate in the spring. I'm just worried that in another 20 weeks everyone will have reached maturity, currently the Game Fowl are smaller than the rest but by then they will be bigger and definitely more vicious and the Game Fowl cockerels may really hurt the other 2 breeds as well as all the cockerels fighting each other. Older Hamburgs could also be quite agressive to the Bantams.

Option 2) put the 5 or 6 cockerels/pullets of each breed into runs with a senior rooster and hens of their own breed. My worry there is that the rooster will mate the pullets prematurely before they are in lay (although I could wait until they are in lay) and also that he will fight/hurt the young cockerels. This is especially true of the Game Fowl Rooster who is 6 years old and quite big.

Option 3) put the pullets in with the rooster and hens for each breed and then have one all male pen for the rest of the roosters ?

Advice please ?

Many thanks.

 

[Mrs. K]

Option 3 - will keep things the most apt to be peaceful.

Are you planning on keeping all of the roosters? That is a lot of feed for unproductive birds.

If not, process them before the winter, says the lady with two cockerels in with the layers as I speak. But I am thinking of pulling them out soon, and I will harvest before winter.

Mrs K

 

[PuddleEndChicken]

Option 3 - will keep things the most apt to be peaceful.

Are you planning on keeping all of the roosters? That is a lot of feed for unproductive birds.

If not, process them before the winter, says the lady with two cockerels in with the layers as I speak. But I am thinking of pulling them out soon, and I will harvest before winter.

Mrs K

@Mrs. K Thank you. If I put the pullets in with a rooster before they are laying, will he mate them ? hurt them ?

Yes got to do something about the roosters but still waiting to see which looks the best for next generation breeding !

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree, Option 3. A bachelor pad is how many people deal with this. You do not get guarantees with living animals but I think this gives you the best chance for success.

The boys will determine a pecking order. That may involve some fighting but often it is not that bad. Give them as much room as you can. Your odds of having issues go up the tighter you pack them.

Most mature roosters are not going to try mating pullets until they are close to lay. Some of yours are close. Again, you do not get guarantees with every rooster on the planet but it is seldom a problem. Besides, they will be with their same breed. Even the 16 week olds are big enough that a rooster of their breed will not be too much for them if they are mated.

Once more, you do not get guarantees. You need to observe what is going on and make adjustments based on what you see, if necessary. I do not expect you to have serious issues but with living animals you never know.

Good luck!