I think I have 3 Roo's =(

[jburd]

Oh dear me . . . I ordered 12 pullets, but I think 3 might be cockerels. They are almost 10 weeks old and these three are always picking fights with each other . . . but two of them are the sweetest and most friendly birds in all other aspects! Here are some pix (sorry for the poor quality of some):

This is Pearl (or Paul) . . . I've seen her/him crowing. She/he is almost twice the size of all the other birds I have, and pretty standoffish.


This is Bertha (or Bert). She/he is a Jersey Giant, and one of the sweetest birds we have. I have also seen her/him crowing.


And finally, this is Hazel (or Hank). I have never seen this little EE crow, but she/he is always picking fights with the other two. Otherwise she/he is a very friendly bird.



Is 3 roosters out of 12 total birds too much for the remaining 9 hens? Isn't that sort of a bad failure rate for the hatchery to virtually promise 12 pullets but only supply 75%? I'm just not sure if I should call and complain . . . I expected 1 roo, but 3 seems like too much. I don't know if I can keep them all if they are roo's, but I definitely don't want them to go into somebody's cooking pot.

I'm in a dilemma . . . what do you all think?

 

[Nicole01]

Yes, 3 boys. Hank is a roo too.

I would think 3 boys is too many for the hens. Maybe set up a bachelor pad/area for two to hang out? I don't know if two would push it either.

I'm surprised your LB is standoffish. LB's are so dang friendly usually. My pullet has never ever been scared of me or run away when I walk near her. In fact, she comes running for me to hold her and she's only 14-16 weeks old. I thought she was a boy since her comb reddened and was pretty big at 5 weeks and up. She never grew saddle feathers. I hear that most LB are super friendly.

I'd keep the friendly boy/s for sure. I do know they can turn on you once their hormones kick in. I've seen it with the neighbors 1st ever BR rooster, but he was standoffish like your LB as a baby.

 

[teach1rusl]

Yeah, that is a high % of error. Most hatcheries guarantee 90% accuracy. But I believe all they'll do is refund you your chick cost if wrong, and those few dollars don't help the stress of dealing with too many roos. Actually hearing them crow is plenty of evidence. As for your EE, it looks like it has the three rows of "pea" on that comb, which would also indicate male.
In my opinion, three cockerels/roos is too many to keep with 9 hens, especially if they're contained in a run, because when hormones hit, the girls really have no way of escaping. But you could always wait and see. Besides, you might want to watch and see which cockerel(s) would be best to keep. Any cockerel who starts getting "cocky" with the humans would be the first to go. And you want ones that are the gentlest with the hens/pullets.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

I'm surprised your LB is standoffish. LB's are so dang friendly usually. My pullet has never ever been scared of me or run away when I walk near her. In fact, she comes running for me to hold her and she's only 14-16 weeks old. I thought she was a boy since her comb reddened and was pretty big at 5 weeks and up. She never grew saddle feathers. I hear that most LB are super friendly.

My LB pullets were very aggressive, never warmed up to me, ran away, and bullied all the other pullets. It became so bad that I sold all three. My flock became a lot more laid back. Just my experience. I have stopped believing that one breed is more friendly than another. I think it all depends on individual character traits.

 

[Nicole01]

I wonder if you had bad genes for all your LB to be aggressive. I do believe that's it's individual though. My RIR is not the nicest hen. It took me a lot of work and patients to tame her. I almost rehomed her when she full blown attacked me several times as a pullet. Now she's the opposite and loves to sit on me whenever she can. You have to be very loving to her or she'll draw blood. She's a very good layer, so she stays.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Quote:

Maybe. They were from Meyer hatcheries so who knows what bloodlines they were from.

I also saw a huge change in most of my hens' behavior after they started laying. They all became much more approachable (with the exception of the brahmas). Some still don't like to be picked up but tolerate it while others (notably my dominiques) will jump on my lap or beg to be picked up by pulling on my pant's leg. The Welsumers are like your RIR - they want attention but on their terms.

 

[jburd]

Oh no! That's a huge bummer . . . I definitely can't keep all three (if any) if they are cockerels.

Hopefully I can find someone who will take them and not just put them in the stew pot. I knew there was a chance that I could get maybe one roo and I could either keep him or find him a home . . . I never thought that I would end up with three and that two of them would be my best buddies of the whole flock!

 

[jburd]

Crystal,
Does the "three rows of pea" on the comb also go for the LB's? The other brahma, Lizzie, has three rows too, but she's much smaller than Pearl/Paul and the comb is not as bright red . . . I don't think I could bear it if I had 4 cockerels.

Unfortunately I only have a few bad pictures of her because she is so shy. Here is one where Pearl (now Paul) is in the foreground and Lizzie is in the background:


Here's another where Lizzie is in front and dust-bathing with Paul and Gertie, a Wyandotte pullet (on their first day outside!) =)

 

[Nicole01]

Crystal, Does the "three rows of pea" on the comb also go for the LB's? The other brahma, Lizzie, has three rows too, but she's much smaller than Pearl/Paul and the comb is not as bright red . . . I don't think I could bear it if I had 4 cockerels. Unfortunately I only have a few bad pictures of her because she is so shy. Here is one where Pearl (now Paul) is in the foreground and Lizzie is in the background: Here's another where Lizzie is in front and dust-bathing with Paul and Gertie, a Wyandotte pullet (on their first day outside!) =)

My LB pullet had 3 rows of pea comb right away.
5-6 weeks old

3-5 weeks old

14-16 weeks old, not the best pic. She's hard to photograph

 

[teach1rusl]

I'm only familiar with this sexing method for EEs, not for other breeds. Female EEs will typically have a single row, while males will have three. I've ony had 4 EEs, and that was always the case. So based on Nicole's post, it sounds like you're in the clear with your other LB