I have no idea what to do

[Maxamus]

Hello, so about 3 months ago I bought 4 month old chickens (Hens I was told). I got my first egg Christmas Eve and was super pumped but was only getting 1 egg every 2 days. Out of 3 chickens that surprised me, then one of my hens crowed. I an certain that 2 of my (Hens) are roosters. I have raised these chickens, cared for them, grew attached to them and now I have to get rid of 2 of them. The laws were I live say you can't have any roosters but I love those **** things! My parents say I have to take them back within the week because the crowing is waking them up, and replace them with hens. I have no idea what to do. Please help.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

can you post pictures?
If they're crowing in the morning, 99.999% chance they're roosters and even if they're crowing hens, they need to go.
Even if you were allowed to keep them, you can't keep 2 roosters with a single hen or they'd breed her to death or kill each other trying. You need at least 8 hens per rooster.

 

[bobbi-j]

It doesn't seem that you have a choice. The law says you can't have roosters, so the roosters have to go. Even if it were legal, your parents have told you that they have to go, so you need to do what they say. I don't know if you're a minor or not, but you obviously are living with your parents in their home, so you need to respect them. (After all, they let you have the chickens in the first place) It's a hard thing to do, but if you can take them back and replace them with hens, I would suggest you do so.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It doesn't seem that you have a choice. The law says you can't have roosters, so the roosters have to go. Even if it were legal, your parents have told you that they have to go, so you need to do what they say. I don't know if you're a minor or not, but you obviously are living with your parents in their home, so you need to respect them. (After all, they let you have the chickens in the first place) It's a hard thing to do, but if you can take them back and replace them with hens, I would suggest you do so.

Agreed - unfortunately, the situation "is what it is". You mention "taking them back" - did the birds come from a source that will be willing to accept them back? If so, that is the solution - if not, you will have a harder go of it as finding a place for roosters can be tricky, but there are things you can do to facilitate their placement such as advertising on CL, FB groups, etc.

 

[Mrs. K]

instead of thinking of the individual birds, think of the flock. Really though if you are getting rid of the roos, it might be better to get rid of the hen too. A single bird is stressed, chickens are a flock animal, but if you get chicks, they cannot be put with the single hen for several months, or she will attack them. It would be best to do one of these thing:

1. Let all the birds go, get sex-linked chicks so you get pullets to raise up in your current set up. Advantages is that they will fit in your current setup, and you are sure of getting hens. Disadvantage is that your 6 months from getting eggs.

2. Let the roosters go, get full grown hens, this will take some integration. The new birds will not be immediately accepted, and there will be some scrabbling and pecking. Advantages is that you will be getting eggs, disadvantages is that you may need to separate them for a while, does your setup allow you to do that? And this time of year, it may be difficult to find birds at this age.

3. Keep you hen, get chicks, in separate quarters, raise up chicks keeping them separate from your hen until they are between 16-20 weeks. This again needs separate coop/run set up.

Mrs K

 

[Maxamus]

What in kinda thinking is I take the 2 Roos back to the farmer that I bought them from, and pick up new hens. I don't have an advanced setup but I could use a dog cage maybe

 

[cafarmgirl]

Quote:
Just keep in mind that, as mentioned by Mrs. K, it's often very difficult integrating new birds, especially in such a small group. If you don't have the set up to keep them separate from your one hen, but next to each other for a couple weeks so they can get used to each other, then you are probably better off to return all the birds and start over with sexed chicks from a hatchery or point-of-lay pullets. To me that would be a lot less headache then integrating in a restrictive space.

 

[Maxamus]

I hate this so much, I really want to keep my hen. Her name is Mable and she is like a pet to me.Ill go out in run and she'll sit ony lap to eat grain. I'll even put her up on my shoulder and do my chores in the back yard. How would I get a setup that would keep them around each other but not with each other.Please tell me anything you can

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Can you post a picture of your set up now? Or describe it in detail? We're all for throwing out ideas

 

[pastryman]

I would just get two new hens (not young chickens) and keep them with Mable. There will be a little pecking, but they will soon get along.