Is one rooster enough?

[Delmar]

From what I can tell roos hate living alone.

 

[Adrisducks]

One is enough for that many - and even more hens.

I actually do have two roos and 12 hens, but one roo is definately top, and the other is definately on the bottom rung of the ladder. He's kinda....physically handicapped as well.

I started out with a dozen chicks, 5 of which were roosters. I culled the roosters over time that were mean to the hens, or had thoughts about attacking my child. By mean to the hens, I mean the ones that were aggressive breeders or had a tendency to pick one hen and WAY overbreed. I'm not needing fertile eggs, I just like roosters, but I don't need to spend money for aprons or deal with unhappy hens.

The two boys I have now are good breeders, gentle, and stay away from us when we are in the coop. The dominant roo breeds most of the girls, the sub roo breeds the bottom rung hens. I thought I would eventually end up with one roo, but since both of them are good and don't fight, and the girls are happy, they both stay.

If you have quite a few roos, just watch how they interact with the hens. Cull (this can mean rehoming) the roos that are mean or hard on the hens. Keep the ones that are gentle and have good qualities (both my boys constantly are finding food for the hens, watching over them, and always wing dance before mating, none of the attack and mate stuff).

Hi, I've never heard it called that before 'wing dance'. I love it. I've had many roosters in the past and some of them do wing dances before mating but most do it after. Are my roosters all broken by doing it after or are they just showing appreciation and it's ok they do it this way?