Introducing Roosters to a group of pullets.

[Redhead Rae]

And what does “multiple males are PITA” means?. I am not familiar with the expression. New at this.

PITA is an acronym that is short for Pain In The A**.

Basically, it adds another level of complications to keep multiple roosters.

 

[Chickassan]

Free range, so the rooster is for protection and later expanding or replacing sick or lost females?
Myself, if I had a male already accepted into the flock i'd keep him. You maybe could keep the bullied fella as a back up in case the other guy dies.
The inappropriate mater you don't need.

I am trying to go as natural and organic as possible when my hens start laying the eggs. I don’t want to feed them hormones to promote laying. Therefore I will need at least two roosters to fertilize them according to the info I have been reading for a group of 24-28 egg layers naturally!

 

[ronott1]

The rooster needed for hens to lay eggs is one of the most enduring myths about chickens.

They are not good at protecting a flock either. They can warn of danger and sacrifice themselves to a predator but not much else.

If you are not breeding them or wanting to hatch eggs from the flock, a rooster is not needed.

Hormones are not needed or given to chickens.

 

[aart]

Hens do NOT need a rooster or artificial hormones to lay eggs. Chickens lay even if they've never been mated or fed hormones. The only thing a rooster does is he makes the eggs fertile.

Even factory layers are not fed hormones.

 

[ronott1]

Even factory layers are not fed hormones.

X2!

 

[wamtazlady]

Even factory layers are not fed hormones.

X3

 

[wamtazlady]

I am trying to go as natural and organic as possible when my hens start laying the eggs. I don’t want to feed them hormones to promote laying. Therefore I will need at least two roosters to fertilize them according to the info I have been reading for a group of 24-28 egg layers naturally!

I have a feeling that you think layer feed contains hormones. The only difference between layer feed and grower feed is the amount of calcium. Calcium is a mineral, not a hormone. Calcium is in the shells of the eggs. If the chickens do not get enough calcium their eggs might be soft shelled or have no shell at all in extreme cases. It is a good idea to put a bowl of ground oyster shells in the coop with the chickens. The oyster shells contain a lot of calcium. That way if they are not getting enough calcium from their feed, they can find it in the oyster shells.

 

[123RedBeard]

Since you already have atleast one that grew up with the pullets ... there may be more that crop up as they mature ...

Get rid of the two new ones.

If the cockrell that you discovered was not a pullet acts up ... get rid of him too!

While growing up we had 24-25 hens, and one cock, my Father believed that fertilized eggs were "healthier" ... so we kept a cock ... he was a good bird, he lived for more than eight years ... never hatched any eggs ...

Like others have said ... chickens don't need a male around to lay eggs ... just like a female human doesn't need a male human to have an egg cycle either ...

 

[natyvidal]

All I thought I knew about layers just got flushed down the drain! I also like to hear their cock a doodle but if I don’t have to worry about having roosters for my ladies to lay the eggs I don’t need three of them. I am thinking in preparing soon chicken and rice dinner.
Thank you all for all the great information. I am glad I found this great web site. You all have been very helpful!

 

[ronott1]

All I thought I knew about layers just got flushed down the drain! I also like to hear their cock a doodle but if I don’t have to worry about having roosters for my ladies to lay the eggs I don’t need three of them. I am thinking in preparing soon chicken and rice dinner.
Thank you all for all the great information. I am glad I found this great web site. You all have been very helpful!

Chicken and rice or dumplings is very good with home raised birds!