Multiple Roosters

[PittyLova]

Alright, I'm new to chickens and have been doing lots of research. We currently have 7 barnyard mixed hens. 2 look identical to black orpingtons, a couple look just like RRI's, but I know they're all mixes and their father was an EE. A little background info:

I'm started this focusing on feeding my family (me and 2 kids). However, after visiting the local farmer's market, etc I've seen that there may be a market for more variety up here. Everybody sells brown eggs, we have quite a mix within our flock and everybody loves them. So I want to continue with and expand our flock to have a mix of egg colors so we can start to sell the excess to help cover feed costs, etc. However, I also want to produce some meat birds as well and keep my flock as self sustainable as possible. I'd rather not have to incubate the chicken eggs as we have quail and 1 incubator.

Now, to my pondering....I know that it's possible to have multiple roosters with enough space and enough hens. I have this much covered from my research. However, I was wondering if it were possible to encourage each rooster to take certain hens? During the day my birds will be free ranging once the weather is nicer and I can finish fencing the property. Right now they have a large fenced area during the day. I don't want to have to keep certain hens/roos in separate pens for breeding. Now, I know it's not 100% guaranteed if this even works at all, and I'm ok with some mixing. But I'm wondering if you start the roo out with a certain batch of hens will he most likely take them as his own?

So for instance, say I got an EE type of roo and I got him and several pullets at the same time/same age and brooded them together. Then after they were out in the barn and brooded a meatier roo with meatier pullets and put them out, would they tend to stick with those they know? Or is it just a complete gamble? Again, I know there will probably be some mixing regardless of how it's set up, just curious if doing it this way raises the chances of them sticking together?

Sorry if it's a stupid question ha!

 

[chickens really]

Answer is no...That won't work. The Roosters will fight for the right to breed any Hens.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I agree there is no way to unless they are fenced away there is no way to keep him from breeding all your hens

 

[PittyLova]

Thank you, I figured that was the case. One of those random midnight thoughts that had me thinking though

 

[lazy gardener]

PL, have you tried home grown chicken? Before you get going on your plan, IMO, that is your first step.

It sounds to me that your primary focus is a colorful egg basket, and your secondary focus is some meat for the table. It also sounds like you DON'T want to incubate or artificially brood your chicks.

Here's my suggestion:

A. Get a nice meaty roo to put over your current flock. If you choose an Ameraucana or EE, you'll breed forward with more blue/green/aqua colored eggs. If you choose a brown egg layer roo, your future generation of hens will produce more brown eggs, though the occasional green egg layer will pop up.

Eat all of the cockerels that are not destined to play in next year's gene pool.

I recommend that you buy or make an other incubator. Broody hens are notorious for not playing the game when it's convenient for YOU!

B. Same as above, BUT, add half a dozen Freedom Rangers, Pioneer (aka Dixie Rainbows), or Cornish Rocks every year to provide nice tender table birds. If you go with FR, or DR, you can hold back a few pullets to breed into your layer flock. I did that with a DR, and was delighted with her huge eggs and her productivity.

No matter what you do, if you end up with cockerels who are destined for the table, you will need a grow out coop for them. They tend to get hormonal before they have reached good table size, and the harrassment of their female hatch mates is simply not fair!!!

 

[PittyLova]

PL, have you tried home grown chicken? Before you get going on your plan, IMO, that is your first step.

It sounds to me that your primary focus is a colorful egg basket, and your secondary focus is some meat for the table. It also sounds like you DON'T want to incubate or artificially brood your chicks.

Here's my suggestion:

A. Get a nice meaty roo to put over your current flock. If you choose an Ameraucana or EE, you'll breed forward with more blue/green/aqua colored eggs. If you choose a brown egg layer roo, your future generation of hens will produce more brown eggs, though the occasional green egg layer will pop up.

Eat all of the cockerels that are not destined to play in next year's gene pool.

I recommend that you buy or make an other incubator. Broody hens are notorious for not playing the game when it's convenient for YOU!

B. Same as above, BUT, add half a dozen Freedom Rangers, Pioneer (aka Dixie Rainbows), or Cornish Rocks every year to provide nice tender table birds. If you go with FR, or DR, you can hold back a few pullets to breed into your layer flock. I did that with a DR, and was delighted with her huge eggs and her productivity.

No matter what you do, if you end up with cockerels who are destined for the table, you will need a grow out coop for them. They tend to get hormonal before they have reached good table size, and the harrassment of their female hatch mates is simply not fair!!!

Thanks for the great information

We have had home raised chicken a few times, and we actually just made soup out of one of our injured hens.

My #1 goal is to have a productive bird for both meat and eggs. The colorful eggs is a nice to have.

I would prefer not having to incubate/brood chicks as much as possible, but am not opposed to it as needed (and expect it some times). I was looking for a breed that is known to raise chicks well even if that means adding a couple of hens from a different breed just for this purpose. We have a very large 3 car garage with large work area that was not really suitable for a car due to the settling prior to purchase. This has been turned into a barn and 3/4 of it is being used for the birds (chickens, ducks, turkeys) at night, the other 1/4 will be split between rabbits and quail. We'll be separating out a grow out/brooding area come spring for table cockerels.

I was hoping to get a mixed flock where we got some color, but also meaty birds. This is why I was considering getting a roo of each. Our current flock has probably half heavier/meatier girls and half are lighter. Perhaps I'll just focus on finding a nice heavy EE roo and keep the variety in my hens. The ultimate goal is to have a dual purpose mixed flock without having to continuously purchase chicks every year for the table, and only switch out roos to keep fresh genes.

 

[red horse ranch]

I have 5 roosters right now although I often have 7 to 10. I add 1 or 2 new roosters to my flock every year. One thing I have seen over the years is that it's often the hen that chooses the rooster. Each one of my roosters have their own harem but a new young rooster will often try to breed any hen that's near him. A roo will try to protect 'his' girls but he doesn't always get there in time. Unless the roo is separated with his girls from the rest of the roosters there will be cross breeding.

 

[lazy gardener]

PL, if you put your general location in your profile, it will help folks to give advice specific to your climate. You might look into White Rocks. Beekissed is having excellent results with this breed as a nice beefy DP. Her birds do a great job brooding chicks, and are decent layers. You can get more info about the breed on Henderson's chicken breeds chart.

 

[PittyLova]

I'll check out the White Rocks. I have seen them, but everything labels them as layers and I haven't seen anything mention them as DP before now. I did see them listed as good for raising chicks. Spring's coming (not soon enough) so I better figure this out soon!

I'm in northern NH, I just added it to my profile

 

[chickengeorgeto]

There is an old saying in the military that says, "The battle is not always won by the strongest or the bravests and the race is not always won by the swifts, but that is the way to bet!!!"
The same will be true with your flock. You can bet on it.