Keeping Roos when you're not supposed to

[Darlene E]

Not to mention that with 3 roos and 2 hens, your poor little hens would be wore out from the constant mating.

 

[Ebony Rose]

The breeder may likely find a loving home for those roosters since they've been hand-raised by your family, making them tame. Just saying... they're not necessarily going onto someone's dinner table. I trust that the breeder is sending you home with another batch of chicks

 

[Hugz21]

The breeder may likely find a loving home for those roosters since they've been hand-raised by your family, making them tame. Just saying... they're not necessarily going onto someone's dinner table. I trust that the breeder is sending you home with another batch of chicks

Magenta is so SO tame. He's a total snuggle monster. Eats out of your hand, sits on your lap (or shoulder like a pirate's parrot!) and loves to get scratched behind the neck.
As I'm in Australia and heading into winter, chicks are in short supply. I'm going to pick up another batch of 4-5chicks in Spring

 

[Mimi13]

They may be snuggle bunnies right now, but my money is on that changing in a few short weeks. Most likely your girls won’t want to hold them in another month or two. Been there, done that.

If the breeder said she’d take them back I’d jerk her arm off on that deal.

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

They may be snuggle bunnies right now, but my money is on that changing in a few short weeks. Most likely your girls won’t want to hold them in another month or two. Been there, done that.

If the breeder said she’d take them back I’d jerk her arm off on that deal.

They definitely might change a bit, but not all roosters end up changing so drastically. We've had boys who were sweet as can be when hatched and still are!

 

[PirateGirl]

I don't know what worst case is in terms of the law, but they certainly can make you get rid of them and the longer you have them, the more attached you will be and the more heartbreaking it will be to re-home them. It's possible you could be deemed an irresponsible chicken keeper or something and banned from owning chickens entirely.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I agree with what others have said. How old are your birds?
3 cockerels by 5 months will crow - a lot. With only 2 pullets, they will likely fight. They will definitely overbreed the poor pullets. It will resemble a multiple time a day gang rape. Now there's a lesson for your girls.
In the US an ordinance violation like the situation you find yourself in results in court citations and fines, sometimes huge fines. I know a woman who didn't have roosters but had two more hens than the ordinance allowed. The city rescinded her permit to ever have chickens, confiscated her whole flock and charged her $100 a day in the process.
There are other places where people are in violation but their neighbors don't complain and they fly under the radar.

 

[danceswithronin]

I definitely would not keep roos where you aren't supposed to. A stealth coop of hens is one thing, but roosters are LOUD. I also live in an area that forbids roosters and when I found out one of my five birds was a roo last year, I rehomed him.

 

[Norcal527]

I kept one roo I wasnt supposed to from my first batch. I had a fairly large lot and nobody ever complained for that year before I moved. I did know though that any day I could get a letter from the city telling me to give up the bird or pay a fine.

It's up to you to take that risk or not but as others have said 3/2 ratio would probably not work. Also that one roo I did keep turned out to be the meanest roo I've had...so be prepared. They do sometimes change with maturity.

 

[Vegan chicken momma]

I find it so bizarre to hear people saying to “cull”, or “process” their roosters! Chickens are beloved pets, would any of you do that do a dog if it was the “wrong breed or sex”? Consider petitioning the city to allow roosters! We all know a flock with a rooster is the healthiest and happiest, and if we aren’t trying to keep our birds happy and healthy, what business to we have keeping chickens?