I don't understand how this works.

[Captain Carrot]

Ok so I visited a breeder a few weeks ago to have a look at her stock and ask a few questions. She has about 5 or 6 breeds: Silkies, Hamburgs, Owl Beards, bantams, Sebrights and Sumatra. She also has geese, ducks, swans and pheasants.

One thing I couldn't get me head around though is that they all free range together. She must have 50 plus cockerels, but whilst I was there I didn't see a single fight between them. I always thought that cockerels kept together would fight, but all of these where so chilled out.

I'm planning on getting three new breeds myself, Bielefelder, Owl Beards and bantam Welsummers to go with my Altsteirers and I would love for them all to free range, only separating them to breed in the pens. It's possible because I've seen it, but is there anything I could do to prevent fighting between the cocks.

The breeder had 200 plus hens for the 50 or so cockerels, I'll have 14 with 4 cocks. So it defiantly isn't the same setup, but my birds will have more space.

Any advice or tips?

Thanks

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Your hens are going to be worn out with that many roos.
At the very most, you could do 2 roos, but watch carefully for behavior issues and hens getting to much attention.

 

[Captain Carrot]

so you're saying it'll be batter to keep the breeds separate?

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
Maybe. Its just that 14 hens being covered by 4 roos is going to be very stressfull.
You may well end up with hens that have no back feathers.
Never mind the issue with the top roo getting jealous.
I have kept 2 roos with 35 hens, and that worked out ok since there were enough hens to go around.

I think for the breeder that you went to see, it works well, because of the mass number of chickens.

 

[sourland]

I think the greater the space the less the chance of fighting problems. That does not mean that there may not be fighting. The ratio of hens to roosters is a little low but may work. Just manage your flock to alleviate problems as they occur.

 

[HBuehler]

when I'm not breeding all of mine free range together..they will have squabbles but more often between the hens than the roos.At night the roos all sleep side by side on the perch.They know who top roo is and who isn't We have several hundred chickens here
8 hens to 1 roo is about average if you want real good fertility in the breeding pens..some pens require less hens some can handle a few more.Some of my pens only have a trio which would be no different than 4 roos with 14 hens

 

[sourland]

The only difference with 4 roosters with any number of hens arises if they start gang breeding the hens. This can result in neck and back wounds in addition to possible pelvic damage.

 

[Captain Carrot]

It was just that the breeder had about a quarter of the space for her birds than I do. I like the idea of them all being in together, if they all sleep in the same shed they'll be warmer in winter and I'll only have one shed to muck out as a posed to a shed and three coops.
She did have a better hen to cockerel ratio, but I have the more space. I wouldn't like the hens to get gang raped though.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think these threads might help you some.

Breeders managing roosters
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=250327

Number of roosters thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=219443

Managing multiple roosters
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=229968

As you have seen, multiple roosters can live together in a flock. As you have seen, the hens don't always suffer miserably when there are several roosters with the flock. Bad things can happen, but as you have seen, bad things don't always happen.

There is no magic ratio to keep roosters from fighting or hens from becoming barebacked. My normal advice is to keep as few roosters as you can and maintain your goals. That does not mean you cannot have more than one.

If you put a new rooster together in a flock of hens with another rooster, they will probably fight for flock dominance. There can be occasions it does not happen, but not many. Sometimes roosters die in these fights. Often they reach and accommodation where they know who is the dominant rooster, but they form a good partnership in taking care of the flock. You never know for sure what will happen, but multiple roosters have existed in flocks for thousands of years, so it can happen.

I also agree that the more room you have, the better, not just for this potential problem but for many others.

 

[Pinky]

Quote:
I agree with the space idea. Having a gang of roosters that work together has its benefits, but it also has its faults. Not only can over mating occur, but if one rooster attacks you, the others may try as well. I had two grown roosters try to attack me at once one time, and had to take one to freezer camp and lock the other one up.
If you raise them together I think it might work out with enough space.