Introducing Roosters

[jgarzasr]

We purchased 5 hens back in april - and they are doing fine. They are mainly Free Range - unless we are gone for the day and then we will confine them to a small chicken run.

Well my step Grandpa raises chickens every year for only meat birds. This year he has given us a couple roosters. They are waiting at my Dads to pickup. This is our first year w/ chickens and we were not planning on any roosters - let alone two.

The roosters are about a month 1/2 old. Can I just introduce them to the Hens immediately? And also - I have four kids - one being a toddler. Will I have to watch out for the rooster once his spurs grow out?

Also - can I just raise these two roosters and then use them for meat birds at the end of the summer? Not sure if we want to deal with a possible mean rooster.

Any opinions greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[lowcountrypoultry]

Hi jgarzasr,

You may want to keep them in the run for awhile, so they realize that this is their home. You shouldn't have any problems with the hens and roosters together, if anything at 1 month 1/2 the hens will tell the roosters who is the boss.

When they get older there may be a little bit of controversy between the two roosters, but since they were brought up together it shouldn't be too bad.

I wouldn't think that the roosters would be mean. Out of the so many roosters I've had over the years only about 2 have become mean, and theres always a fry pan for them right?

Anyways, you could always keep them for meat if you wanted to.

Best of Luck For Your Flock!

 

[coltsrox]

i'm sorry i have no idea, i was wondering when the spurs grow in? then can i hold him still? sorry to but onn your post....

 

[jgarzasr]

Thanks for the replies. I will definitely try to keep the roosters. I have contemplated next year - to have some of the fertilized eggs hatch, and use the chics for meat birds. But I am curious - and here is another question?

first I haven't found out what the breed is of these roosters - but the hens I have are 4 sex link, and 3 RIR. I thought I heard that sex link will not breed good? any ideas?

 

[Cara]

Two young roosters is probably too many for a small flock. Your birds could end up overbred.

 

[jgarzasr]

Alright - I picked them up and what I found out is they are - White Hubbard mountain broilers. They are smaller then my Hens - but they sure do weight alot more..... They are also - at least compared to the hens we have now - pretty ugly looking. Anyway - I'm not sure if this is good breed of rooster to have around????

I know my step Grandpa said that he begins butchering them @ about six weeks.

 

[Grass]

i agree with cara...in fact i have 2 roosters and just went and bought 4 more hens to keep from the hens getting beatup by the roosters now i'm up to 15.
2 roosters and 13 hens

 

[jgarzasr]

Anyone have any opinions on the breeds of these roosters? Hubbard White Mountain Broilers...... So far all they are doing is hanging out in the coops and eating the feed - They haven't even attempted to venture out.

Plus the Hens got all freeked out - and now they stay away from the coop - usually I will give them a little feed in the morning - they bypassed that and when straight to the yard.

I don't know - but I am thinking - beer can chicken. Two of them.

 

[cajunlizz]

I have a total of 38 hens . 28 of them are still teens , around 14 - 16 weeks old .

Hubby arrived with 4 roosters .

1 big rir rooster , OLDER of the 4 .
1 about 8 months old
2 others about 6 months old .

BIG RED automatically took over the flock as HIS and is controling " HIS FLOCK "

we noticed when the other roosters try and mate with the hens , BIG RED chases them away . HIS FLOCK . LOL

went into the coop one morning and found one of the 6 month old roosters DEAD .

NO BLOOD , no feathers , nothing . We are assuming BIG RED may have had enough of this rooster and killed him . was also told they can PECK another real hard in the head and kill them . TRUE ?

We are watching big red very close and anything happen like this again , and BIG RED will be IN THE POT . We are not going to have ANY rooster killing others .

I will NOT allow my lil grand kids to enter the RUN area with these roosters . Their spurs can be very dangerous is they feel provoked .


But was told rule of thumb is 1 rooster for every 10 hens ? PLEASE correct me if I was told wrong .

 

[jgarzasr]

So can anyone tell me about these young roosters???

Again - they are a hubbard white mountain broilers.... since bringing them home - they do nothing but hang around the coop - They can hardly climb up and down the ramp. It seems as thought their bodies are heavier than their legs can support.

They just seem like a couple dumb lazy roosters......