Is two roos one too many for 13 hens??

LtDanFan

In the Brooder
Apr 16, 2025
43
27
36
Racine, Wisconsin
I will preface this with technically i am not supposed to have roosters where I am. So if i need to get rid of them both so be it, but given the circumstances, i’d like to explore ways to keep both.
Here’s the make up of the flock:
1 creamlegbar cockrel raised with 2 BYM (i think) pullets and 2 cream legbar pullets. Four 6-month-old hens (two of which are regularly laying, one that is a meat bird and one crippled hen i took in cause she needed a safe place) and 5 pullets plus 1 cream legbar cockrel still in the brooder but getting ready to be introduced to the wider world in the next 1-2 weeks (they are about 5 weeks old)
After introducing the first two groups, they all coop up together at night but essentially exist as two different flocks during the day when allowed free access to the chicken yard.
Because i am kind of a softie and the oldest cockrel survived a fire (I thought all the CCL’s that survived were pullets but surprise, hes clearly made from roo material) and i purchased the younger one because i thought all my CCL’s were pullets and i wanted to try to get hatching eggs before he got too loud and obnoxious, i am torn as to which one to keep if i can only keep one.
Ultimately, i know I may need to re-home or repurpose both, but id love to hear other views on how small flocks (13 hens total) work with 2 roosters. If my short history repeats itself, i will have 3 mini-flocks and the two roosters will stick to their own “ladies”, only fighting over or ignoring completely, the older (4) hens, only 2 of whom are currently laying and receptive based on squatting behavior.
The older cockrel is a little more flighty than the younger one, the younger one having needed eye drops as a young chick for conjunctivitis and getting handled several times a day.
 
The way I see it, you're only keeping both if they both behave. Towards you, towards the ladies, and towards each other. On paper, it looks like too few hens for 2 roosters, but the only way you'll know is to let it play out. Maybe one isn't so interested in mating. Or maybe one is a total jerk! Then the choice is clear.
 
How old is the older one? Temperament in roosters I wouldn't personally judge until over 5-6 months since the hormone shifts, but they may continue to change and mature for longer than that. If you're renting and having roos may get you evicted, I don't recommend it! If you've got neighbors who aren't easily bought with gifts of eggs, I would be cautious about how much all day crowing you have. Some roos may also crow more than others if that matters to you!

As for if they'll get along... It's up to them. They may be content with the space as is as they both mature, they may also fight over the coop/roosts, fight over or with the ladies, food, water, etc. I'd say give it time and keep who fits in better with what you're looking for once they've gone through their puberty:)
 

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