Multiple roosters possible, don't know what to do

[angela120]

I've been raising chickens for the past year and reading this thread, but this is my first post. About 2 months ago, one of my hens became broody, and I decided to go ahead and let her have some eggs. We ended up with 6 chicks. We have one rooster and 9 hens that are over a year, and now six 2-month olds. I am afraid 3 of them are roosters. One I know is, because I've seen and heard him crow (he's my favorite and I practically hand raised him b/c he hatched later and momma abandoned him). The other 2 I think might be I saw fighting like roosters fight, with their necks flared out, etc. One looks like a rooster but the other, I"m not sure about except for the fighting.

My dad agreed to take them and try to find homes for them, but everytime I load them up, my heart breaks (b/c he can't keep them and he won't tell me his plans b/c I don't want to know). These are my pets, and I'm still not sure they are roosters. I haven't heard these two crow and only saw them fighting like this once. They don't accept the one I know is a rooster that I love dearly, so that also leads me to believe they are roosters. Plus, they "look different" with a longer crown and waddle. I can't have 4 roosters, so what do I do? Let my dad take care of them and just be strong about it, or wait and see for certain? How can one be certain if they haven't crowed? And why is one crowing (kept apart from the adult rooster) and the others aren't? Is it b/c the others are with the adult rooster?

 

[centrarchid]

You can do multiple roosters free-range. You can do multiple roosters with looking good if adequate free-range resources present. How much acreage do you have. How about roosting facilities. I can keep multiple roosters, each being boss of his own turf but system not as most backyard folks inclined to employ.

 

[toomanydogs]

I'm in the same boat. I have two Dominique roos,an Orloff roo and two teenage mixed breed roos from an 8 egg hatch earlier this year. One of the Dominiques is pretty aggressive with the girls and the Dom. roos have started fighting among themselves, last one was pretty bad. I'm building several smaller pens to separated the boys into, each one will have their own section. would something like that be possible for you?


Lisa

 

[angela120]

I have 10.5 acres, and they can range on all those acres, so I guess it would be possible. One of my husband's friends said we should get rid of them, but maybe he's wrong? It wouldn't hurt to try? I'm just afraid of having 4 roosters and 11 hens and them making my hens miserable or fighting with the adult once they get older, but I don't have a lot of experience in this. My hens and one-year old rooster are so well together and are all hand-raised. So far they've all been fine, but they're still young so it's hard to tell.

 

[toomanydogs]

I guess i would place a couple of them with someone I knew would give them a good home but it seems like i can come up with an excuse for keeping every one lol. Poncho is really good with the girls, Lefty well he's a pain but dang he's beautiful. Get rid of the Orloff, no way as I want to get more Orloff hens and separate them into their own yard. The mixed ones, well one is the first chick I could tell apart from the others and the second is developing some really pretty markings soooo... Told ya always an excuse to keep them lol. Bad thing is I have 3 hens on 28 eggs and I just know there's gonna be more roosters.

 

[centrarchid]

I have 10.5 acres, and they can range on all those acres, so I guess it would be possible. One of my husband's friends said we should get rid of them, but maybe he's wrong? It wouldn't hurt to try? I'm just afraid of having 4 roosters and 11 hens and them making my hens miserable or fighting with the adult once they get older, but I don't have a lot of experience in this. My hens and one-year old rooster are so well together and are all hand-raised. So far they've all been fine, but they're still young so it's hard to tell.

I have 18.5 acres and the birds use presently only about 3. My flock size is a bit larger than yours with free-ranging flock size numbering > 30 with more confined.

What I have done is set it up so each rooster has a group of hens (harem) with a roost, feeder, source of water and cover. A break in the yard provided by a fence or vegetation type also helps. More harems means more worry about predators so I use dog.


What does the area the birds actually use look like?

 

[stoopid]

I have a few roos in the same pens with no problems. If you post pics of them, we can help you figure out the sexes.
Girls will fight like roos, so there is some hope.
It really depends on the setup you have. If they are happy, there is less of a chance of a fight.
Try to post some pics, and we can work from there.

And

 

[centrarchid]

angela120,

Do you know how to use Google Earth?

 

[angela120]

Yes, I'm familiar with Google Earth

 

[centrarchid]

Yes, I'm familiar with Google Earth

I use it to develop little management plans for property each year.

Image below was developed for another purpose but will do. I have many birds penned up and two free-ranging flocks at this time, each with a harem headed by a rooster. One harem is centered on front porch of house labelled in yellow where roost is located. Second is centered location demarked by Pens Under Tree. First harem gets food and water from area labelled as Juvenile 2. which includes heavy cover provided by fencerow. Second harem has food and water under bid tree in center of range. Distance between roosting sites is roughly 300 feet. Border between ranges for the two harems is presently just to left of H for House label. The area is transtion between heavy vegetation that exceeds 1 foot tall and the mowed lawn. The birds do not like to cross that line and when they do the rooster from other harem chases them back. To increase relavence, first harem master is an American Dominique x California Gray while second is pure American Dominique.

Setting up resources is first thing. Then to increase odds harems will set up where you want, then you need to employ some temporary confinement of flocks. Presently as I understand it your younger roosters are only a couple months old so much time available. You will not likely have to be concerned about setting up until late fall.