Keeping multiple roosters?

[n8mont4]

Today I picked up some old hens for free from a guy on craigslist. He said he had 5 hens and 2 young roosters. When I got home and took them out of the boxes, i noticed there was 2 adult roosters, 2 young roosters and 3 hens. This isnt a big deal, since they were free. Anyways, is it a good idea to keep all these roosters? They were raised together from chicks. I was thinking about eating one of the adults and then eating the 2 younger roosters when they got older. Should i do this or keep all of them? Will they get along and not torture the hens? I am using the chickens for bug control if that helps. Thanks

 

[bobbi-j]

Way too many roosters for 3 hens. Get rid of all but one. Or, keep them separate from your hens.

 

[chfite]

In my experience, one rooster is too much for three hens. I had one rooster that grew up with the four hens. They were harried all the time. I got 5 more hens, so there is more to go around, so to speak.

One recommendation that I read was one rooster to ten hens.

Of course, you don't need a rooster to have eggs. I keep mine, because I enjoy watching the dynamics of the flock with the hens and the rooster interacting.

Chris

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Ditto, keep one rooster and get more hens or eat them all. Your girls will thank you for it!

 

[roostersandhens]

well... Dont eat them. Do you have any other hens? If you put all the roosters togeather with NO hens they shouldnt fight. So you could always have a hen coop and a rooster coop!

 

[centrarchid]

If flock is to be confined, one rooster will do fine. If they are free-range then all can be kept although in most instance most of the roosters will be forced to periphery of flock by dominant rooster.

 

[jeepgirl13]

Tomorrow I am getting two roosters. I've got eleven hens and a pretty big coop. They aren't free ranged all the time but I let them out at least six hrs/3 days a week, usually more. Will I have a problem?

 

[darin367]

it all depends on the space.... like said by centra, if they're free range, no worries... as the space gets smaller the roo count needs to go down also..... i keep 2 roos with 12 hens in a 25x25 run and no probs... 1 roo is the boss and the other 1 is oppurtunistic with the ladies, he gets chased off but no real fighting...

 

[jeepgirl13]

Ok cool. I was worried about this as the two blue copper Marans I am getting are being given to me under the agreement that they will have a forever home. I would hate to have to tell the lady I had to cull or get rid of one. If anything I will just have to get a few more hens so each roo can have his own ladies.