I have 3 roosters! What am I going to do?

[cowhlb]

It all started when my eldest roo acted like he had Marek's. So when we ordered chicks we got another rooster because we thought the one with Marek's was going to die. And every time you order they throw in an 'exotic chick'. Turns out the chicks is not exotic and its always a rooster. So back the one with Marek's. We gave him shots of LA 200 every three days. I injected 1/2 a cc. After a while he got worse and worse so I decided to pick him up and look at him. When I did I found a string off of a grain bag wrapped around his leg. It was digging into his skin not badly, but almost bad. It was so tight I could just unwrap is. So I got scissors and slowly cut it off. After about a week he was walking fine! The thing is I never saw it on him when I gave him his shots... Im not sure but whatever. So now back the three! Two of them are about 8 weeks old. My eldest is about 3 but is very well-behaved. What am I going to do with the three of them? I only have one coop... And I really don't want to get rid of them.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It all started when my eldest roo acted like he had Marek's. So when we ordered chicks we got another rooster because we thought the one with Marek's was going to die. And every time you order they throw in an 'exotic chick'. Turns out the chicks is not exotic and its always a rooster. So back the one with Marek's. We gave him shots of LA 200 every three days. I injected 1/2 a cc. After a while he got worse and worse so I decided to pick him up and look at him. When I did I found a string off of a grain bag wrapped around his leg. It was digging into his skin not badly, but almost bad. It was so tight I could just unwrap is. So I got scissors and slowly cut it off. After about a week he was walking fine! The thing is I never saw it on him when I gave him his shots... Im not sure but whatever. So now back the three! Two of them are about 8 weeks old. My eldest is about 3 but is very well-behaved. What am I going to do with the three of them? I only have one coop... And I really don't want to get rid of them.

A couple of things -

first for future orders you can decline the "free chick" - it is actually not *always* a rooster, but if one is concerned about the possibility that is the best route to take

second - if you do not want to remove the extra males from your flock you will need to build a second coop/run so that you can house them in a bachelor pad setting - OR - expand your current setup and increase the number of available females to the appropriate level for three roosters and hope that these two things create a situation that allows for relatively peaceful living for all involved.

 

[cowhlb]

A couple of things -

first for future orders you can decline the "free chick" - it is actually not *always* a rooster, but if one is concerned about the possibility that is the best route to take

second - if you do not want to remove the extra males from your flock you will need to build a second coop/run so that you can house them in a bachelor pad setting - OR - expand your current setup and increase the number of available females to the appropriate level for three roosters and hope that these two things create a situation that allows for relatively peaceful living for all involved.

When you order 15 chicks or more they automatically throw in a 'exotic chick'. There is not button that says 'Decline free chick'. And we have been ordering and always get a free chick and it ALWAYS a rooster. They put in the roosters no one wants....


We honestly do not have the money or another coop.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

When you order 15 chicks or more they automatically throw in a 'exotic chick'. There is not button that says 'Decline free chick'. And we have been ordering and always get a free chick and it ALWAYS a rooster. They put in the roosters no one wants....


We honestly do not have the money or another coop.

So, what solution is it you want, then?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sounds like you order from McMurray. They are the ones that offer free exotic chicks. I have not ordered from them so I don’t know what is available as far as declining that chick online, but you can always order from someone else or call them and tell them you don’t want it. Some of the others may include “packing peanuts”. These are extra chicks to help keep the ones you ordered warm during shipment if the numbers are not real high and bad weather is predicted. These are also usually roosters, but not always. I’ve received a packing peanut that was a female. If you don’t want packing peanuts you can always call them and tell them that. I’ve talked to people at different hatcheries and they have always been really helpful when I talk to them.

I have no idea what your set-up is, how much room you have, or how many chickens you have total. I have no idea what your goals are or what kind of solution you are looking for. I don’t know if two or three roosters can coexist in your situation. We are all unique in our set-up and goals. My recommendation is always to keep as few roosters as you can and still meet your goals.

 

[cowhlb]

Sounds like you order from McMurray. They are the ones that offer free exotic chicks. I have not ordered from them so I don’t know what is available as far as declining that chick online, but you can always order from someone else or call them and tell them you don’t want it. Some of the others may include “packing peanuts”. These are extra chicks to help keep the ones you ordered warm during shipment if the numbers are not real high and bad weather is predicted. These are also usually roosters, but not always. I’ve received a packing peanut that was a female. If you don’t want packing peanuts you can always call them and tell them that. I’ve talked to people at different hatcheries and they have always been really helpful when I talk to them.

I have no idea what your set-up is, how much room you have, or how many chickens you have total. I have no idea what your goals are or what kind of solution you are looking for. I don’t know if two or three roosters can coexist in your situation. We are all unique in our set-up and goals. My recommendation is always to keep as few roosters as you can and still meet your goals.

I do order from McMurray and this was not a packing peanut. Its summer here and HOT! So not a packing peanut. I have 9 total right now in the coop. I have 7 chicks. The coop looks like this: Has 8 nesting boxes and about 8 ft. of roosting. There is enough floor space to put another roost in it as well.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

For future reference, here is the place to decline the free chick when ordering from McMurray - just uncheck "yes" in the FRC section -- print screen doesn't want to show up - but it is on the "payment" page after "delivery date" -- there are three sections of "you may also want" stuff that they try to get you to add to your order and one is FRC - free rare chick - it is automatically checked "yes", but you can uncheck it and no rare chick is included.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Think I got it to work now

 

[cowhlb]

Think I got it to work now

For future reference, here is the place to decline the free chick when ordering from McMurray - just uncheck "yes" in the FRC section -- print screen doesn't want to show up - but it is on the "payment" page after "delivery date" -- there are three sections of "you may also want" stuff that they try to get you to add to your order and one is FRC - free rare chick - it is automatically checked "yes", but you can uncheck it and no rare chick is included.

Thanks for your help.

 

[cmchickens]

if you do not want to remove the extra males from your flock you will need to build a second coop/run so that you can house them in a bachelor pad setting - OR - expand your current setup and increase the number of available females to the appropriate level for three roosters and hope that these two things create a situation that allows for relatively peaceful living for all involved.

X2

Or, if you don't want to get a new home for the extras, grow the 2 babies out, pick your favorite one out of the three, and eat the other two. I find it hard to imagine 3 rooster peaceful sharing that size coop with hens present.