New Introduction

[awyatt10]

Hi all. I’ve used this site for so much info & have no idea why I waited so long to join.
My husband and I have had chickens for well over a year. We’ve had up to 32 chickens, but the foxes have helped that number dwindle greatly. With only 2 survivors from the last attack (which we took the the vets & dropped over $400 on...i pilled them & rehabbed them, being a former vet tech, lol), we are now at 15 hens. We rent on a 300 acre horse farm and have converted an old corn crib into a 2 sided coop. We set up a run with wooded fencing & electric wiring, to keep the foxes at bay.
Recently, we found 2 roosters that someone dumped on the property. We quarantined them for about 90 days & today was the 1st day putting them with the flock. I figured today was the day to join here as I have NO experience with roosters and am super protective of my hens. Fingers crossed all goes well.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

 

[Shadrach]

Hello awyatt10.
Welcome to BYC.
This article may help you with your future rooster problems.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

 

[Peppercorngal]

Welcome here! Good to have you. Regarding the roosters being released to the flock, I'm assuming that you have no current rooster? And that the two you found get along well with each other? Typically a new grown rooster will be rather bullied by the girls (chased and such) until they decide they like him/them! That is the best case scenario! As for the foxes it would seem that you need a predator proof run and coop to keep them safe during the night. That means a covered run and not just a fence that can be climbed over by racoons too! If you are having daytime attacks as well a nice 10 foot fence may work to keep them safe in the "free range area". We had daytime coyotes running in, grabbing a hen and running back to the forest. We put up a 8 foot fence and now the problem has stopped. We made a free range fenced area of about 1/2 football field size and the chickens are still very happy to be free! Nice to have you here, where are you located?

 

[pennyJo1960]

Yup Pepper kinda said it all Welcome to Backyard Chickens 2 roosters to 2 hens like horrible for the hens can you say screwed sorry so bold there but I would not do that to hens

 

[awyatt10]

Welcome here! Good to have you. Regarding the roosters being released to the flock, I'm assuming that you have no current rooster? And that the two you found get along well with each other? Typically a new grown rooster will be rather bullied by the girls (chased and such) until they decide they like him/them! That is the best case scenario! As for the foxes it would seem that you need a predator proof run and coop to keep them safe during the night. That means a covered run and not just a fence that can be climbed over by racoons too! If you are having daytime attacks as well a nice 10 foot fence may work to keep them safe in the "free range area". We had daytime coyotes running in, grabbing a hen and running back to the forest. We put up a 8 foot fence and now the problem has stopped. We made a free range fenced area of about 1/2 football field size and the chickens are still very happy to be free! Nice to have you here, where are you located?

Thanks for the warm welcome.
We’re located in Fallston, MD.
No current roosters, prior to these 2.
The roosters were found together & have since been kept that way, with no issues.
The run has about a 5ft fence around it and we haven’t had any predator issues, knock on wood, since last year. We cut a door in the side of the coop and built a ramp. They put themselves away at dusk, & we go over to close up shop.
I added a pic of the coop & run. The yellow building is an old corn crib. There are door on both sides of the center space. The fenced area is the run. We tore down old dog runs at the main house & repurposed them.

 

[pennyJo1960]

What I was trying to say badly was about 20 hens needed for 2 roosters mine number 32 just now 2 cockerel auctioned my other rooster he got Randy and that turned out to be his name but just was not good to his girls

 

[Leahs Coop]

Hello, and a warm welcome to Backyard Chickens! So glad you joined the flock!

 

[awyatt10]

Yup Pepper kinda said it all Welcome to Backyard Chickens 2 roosters to 2 hens like horrible for the hens can you say screwed View attachment 1876128sorry so bold there but View attachment 1876130 I would not do that to hens View attachment 1876131

See, I read somewhere a minimum of 10 hens per rooster, but was assured that they would all do well. Lol, hence why I’m here. Trust me, my girls come 1st. If there are any issues, my husband is already ready to handle it. I hate to say it, bc I’m a huge animal lover, but I won’t risk the hens’ health or happiness.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I would leave one rooster in there but take they other out after you see who treats the girls better or who they accept