Issue with 3 Roos and 5 pullets?

[jhd9201]

Can someone tell me the issues if having more than 1 roo with less hens? I know it's a 10:1, mine were given to me. I really didn't know until I started reading, then few people agreed with me(about the 3 being male). So now I'm in trying to figure out my next step.

 

[keesmom]

One option is to rehome/send to the freezer 2 or even all of the cockerels. Or you can make a bachelor pad for the males if you can't part with them. Keeping them all together will probably be too much for your pullets.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

One option is to rehome/send to the freezer 2 or even all of the cockerels. Or you can make a bachelor pad for the males if you can't part with them. Keeping them all together will probably be too much for your pullets.

X 2 - yes, three on five will be a recipe for disaster - even if the roos got along (doubtful) there would be the issue of overbreeding for your poor girls. Time to consider bachelor housing or flock reductoin.

 

[jhd9201]

How soon do I need to do it? I'm planning on putting them down and freezing them. Just wasn't sure if should wait until they are older (6mos currently) or do it soon.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If they're 6 months, I'd do it now. They're not going to get much bigger, only tougher.

 

[donrae]

If they're 6 months, I'd do it now. They're not going to get much bigger, only tougher.

this. Your feed conversion ratio is going to go down from here. They're as good as they're going to get.

 

[Ridgerunner]

While I don’t put any faith in that magic 10 to 1 ratio I always urge people to keep as few roosters as they can and meet their goals. It’s not that you are guaranteed to have more problems with multiple roosters, just that it is more likely. The only reason you need a rooster is to get fertile eggs. Everything else is personal preference.

I very much agree with the others. Six months is a good age. No need to wait any longer.

 

[pdirt]

If you've never eaten heritage chicken before, do know it will not be like supermarket chicken. Those chickens are butchered at 6-8 weeks of life. 6 months is usually the max I have seen suggested for a chicken you plan to eat, because they get pretty tough afterwards. It will already be a rather tough bird. Some suggestions:

"Rest" the birds in the fridge for a couple days before freezing
Use them in a slow cooked stew or a crockpot
Don't try to roast or BBQ, you will likely be disappointed
These have less meat, don't try to feed a whole family with just one bird

The flavor is amazing. We cooked our first rooster (5 months old) in a crockpot the other day. Medium setting for about 6.5 hours. Turned out pretty tasty and fairly tender.

 

[29Nikki]

I agree 100% with the other post because I faced a similar dilemma this summer. Only my ratio was 8:10 because I purchased 12 straight run chicks and 6 red sex link chicks. It was horrible for the hens and the roos once they reached 5 months of age. I had 5 Silver Laced Wyandotte roos and 3 Partridge Plymouth Rock roos and the competition between them became fierce. They were relentless to the hens, each other and started attacking me when I had to enter their yard. We put seven in the freezer and the remaining flock now enjoys a life of foraging and dust bathing. The most difficult part of my decision was which of my two best roos would be the BEST one to keep.
It was an agonizing choice to make, keep the one who was small and not well patterned in his feather coloring BUT he possessed excellent rooster leadership qualities or the the huge perfect in appearance more quiet one. I decided to keep the huge, beautiful one and has nicely fulfilled the job of the lead roo position. Let us know what you decide on doing. Best wishes.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If you've never eaten heritage chicken before, do know it will not be like supermarket chicken. Those chickens are butchered at 6-8 weeks of life. 6 months is usually the max I have seen suggested for a chicken you plan to eat, because they get pretty tough afterwards. It will already be a rather tough bird. Some suggestions:

"Rest" the birds in the fridge for a couple days before freezing
Use them in a slow cooked stew or a crockpot
Don't try to roast or BBQ, you will likely be disappointed
These have less meat, don't try to feed a whole family with just one bird

The flavor is amazing. We cooked our first rooster (5 months old) in a crockpot the other day. Medium setting for about 6.5 hours. Turned out pretty tasty and fairly tender.

Such good advice.
Low and slow on the heat helps a lot as does resting before cooking or freezing.
I've been successful baking a whole bird breast down in the broth covered at about 220F till the leg meat separates from the bone which is about 5 hours.
Better yet, part out the birds because the breast cooks much quicker.

...The most difficult part of my decision was which of my two best roos would be the BEST one to keep.
It was an agonizing choice to make, keep the one who was small and not well patterned in his feather coloring BUT he possessed excellent rooster leadership qualities or the the huge perfect in appearance more quiet one. I decided to keep the huge, beautiful one and has nicely fulfilled the job of the lead roo position. Let us know what you decide on doing. Best wishes.

That is the tough part.
I've been through the dilemma many times. I sometimes will keep a less than perfect one if it has an outstanding quality not already present in the flock.
I currently have 13 cockerels from 6 to 20 weeks. Several have obvious flaws so that's a no brainer but I only plan on keeping 3 and there are 6 nearly ideal ones.