Need Opinions regarding Rooster Bachelor Pads

[Barred Feather]

I found myself with 3 roosters. 1 (Barred Rock) is 4 years old and the 2 others (Barred Rock/Dominique mix and pure Dominique) are newbies at 10 weeks old. I have less than 10 hens. The one rooster now is almost too much for the hens as they are getting some wear and tear. The 4 yo Roo has been with his hens for all of his life. He's a good protective rooster that takes care of the hens even though he is gives them too much attention. I know that roosters can live together in a bachelor pad, but I'd like to get some opinion on whether or not bachelor pads make for happy healthy roosters. Would penning these roosters up together in a smaller pen be cruel because it goes against their natural instinct and purpose in life? Would it create frustration and thus consequent aggression? Or are you of the opinion, happy or not a bachelor pad is better than the frying pan or fighting ring. (Unless by some miracle, I find a someone I personally know, I won't be re-homing because of chance of rooster fighting.) Or maybe roosters are happy in bachelor pads???

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I have a "bachelor pad". All of the roosters that don't find new homes or get butchered go and live in our pig pen. They roam our 14 acre pasture during the day, with the pigs, and sleep with them in the hog house at night. They seem pretty happy to me, I don't really see any squabbling going on. They just wander the field throughout the day and hang out with each other.

You might have problems if you try to put your bachelor pad near the hens though. My boys are pretty far from my coops.

 

[donrae]

I don't know how much happier the roosters are, but I'm personally not interested in keeping freeloaders. Nonproductive birds gotta go. Plus, I'm basically lazy. Another coop to clean, feed, water, worry about predators, etc....maybe not so much a problem this time of year, but in the winter more coops equal more work and that's just not for me. I'd rather have a nice pan of enchiladas. Or, if I'm going through the trouble of another coop, it would be a breeding pen or another productive flock so at least I'd get some reward for my work.

 

[aart]

Breed the best one, eat the rest.

 

[Jim N Phyl]

We have 3 pure breeds/dominique, Ameracauna's, & maran, And we keep a productive rooster of each for breeding a couple times a year. Otherwise they live in a ajoining coop only separated from the hens by a plywood wall. And they all get along just fine after they decide their own pecking order. ..
And it gives my hens less where and tear, keeps the blood spots out of the eggs and keeps my grand kids from being attacked when in the hen house.

 

[Barred Feather]

Thanks for feedback. These guys would be in a smaller pen probably in view and next to the hens. As space is a premium. We decided to have one for breeding and one for backup and then that leaves one extra. Unfortunately, I've sort of gotten attached to it. hmph.