Keeping Only Roosters

[Countrymanfowl]

I have only ever kept hens with some roosters here and there but I have been offered a bunch of free male chicks. Currently I have no chickens and have been itching to get back into keeping chickens anyway. Is it possible to keep only roosters? 20 or more say all together with no hens?

 

[JadeFarms]

I have only ever kept hens with some roosters here and there but I have been offered a bunch of free male chicks. Currently I have no chickens and have been itching to get back into keeping chickens anyway. Is it possible to keep only roosters? 20 or more say all together with no hens?

Let’s say it like this: More health issues, more fights, more noise, WAY more room needed, more feathers plucked out, more stress, and more work. So no, it’s a horrible idea.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It depends on the roosters and their individual temperaments as well as breeds. How you house them would be important too. Birds would need to be able to escape each other.

Some members have kept all rooster flocks. It can work, you just need to be ready to remove birds if it doesn't work. You could end up with none getting along, or all.

 

[Countrymanfowl]

Let’s say it like this: More health issues, more fights, more noise, WAY more room needed, more feathers plucked out, more stress, and more work. So no, it’s a horrible idea.

Really? Even with no hens around at all? I have heard that roosters can be kept together as long as there are no hens around. I would be getting all male chicks and raising them together. I know with hens all sorts of hell can be raised with too many roosters, but have never tried only roosters. I would be doing it for research purposes for feed intake, weights etc and exhibition.

 

[Countrymanfowl]

It depends on the roosters and their individual temperaments as well as breeds. How you house them would be important too. Birds would need to be able to escape each other.

Some members have kept all rooster flocks. It can work, you just need to be ready to remove birds if it doesn't work. You could end up with none getting along, or all.

It would be RIR or Barred Rocks.

 

[JadeFarms]

Really? Even with no hens around at all? I have heard that roosters can be kept together as long as there are no hens around. I would be getting all male chicks and raising them together. I know with hens all sorts of hell can be raised with too many roosters, but have never tried only roosters. I would be doing it for research purposes for feed intake, weights etc and exhibition.

My neighbor has just roosters that he raised from babies, and it’s not pretty!

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

x2 @oldhenlikesdogs
Here's an article that might answer some of your questions: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/rooster-flocks.72998/.

 

[JadeFarms]

I will agree, roosters have more personality and can be kept together, but just to be safe, you should keep less than twenty, and to be extra safe, get Hens and a couple of boys.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

My neighbor has just roosters that he raised from babies, and it’s not pretty!

You mentioned on your other thread that your neighbor also had hens. A flock of only roosters is much different than a flock with more roosters than hens.

 

[Countrymanfowl]

You mentioned on your other thread that your neighbor also had hens. A flock of only roosters is much different than a flock with more roosters than hens.

Not sure I said that. May be a typo or someone elses post. None of my neighbors have chickens. And I realize that a flock of only roosters would be different, just wondering if it would be safe or not. And I'm guessing it depends greatly.