Keeping roosters for the first time

[ConnorMayasMom]

I hatched eggs for the first time this spring and ended up with 2 roosters. I am completely new to having roosters and their roughness with my girls is a bit hard to take. Not sure if we're going to keep them. They are in seperate runs/coops and I know they are young and not so good at this yet...but my girls are so scared all the time and running from the roosters...will this get better in time and be less stressful, cause if not the roos gotta go. Their crowing is a bit out of hand too, sometimes starting at 3:30 am. Not sure I'm liking the roo business...the 2 are strikingly beautiful, but I miss our peaceful coop.

 

[Pinky]

If you decide to keep just one, and no one near you has a rooster, your rooster would probably not crow as much, and might even be easier on the hens.

 

[ConnorMayasMom]

Thanks!! Maybe we'll give that a try! Even though they each have a flock you think that having 2 causes more crowing? Competition and all right? You're probably right!

 

[Beekissed]

How many hens do you have? I've found that a good ratio of roo to hen is around 1:25. The hens still get bred but there isn't concentrated roo action, which you are describing. Yes, they get better at it with age but with two randy teenagers going to town on your hens, you may soon see barebacks and a slow down in egg production from nervous hens.

If you aren't wishing to reproduce your flock, no need to have any roos at all.

 

[ConnorMayasMom]

I have no where near that many hens...I think both roos may go...I don't like seeing the girls stressed. One roo has about 14 hens and the other only has 8...and I can't add more hens given current coop space.