Newbie ? about Roosters

[MorgansManor]

I have 4 rooster all hatched out on 7/9/12 and have raised together. I am worried that might be too many roosters for my 23 hens but so far no luck in selling or giving 2 of the roosters away. Everyday I inspect my girls and so far they look great no injuries or bald patches. The flock is allowed to free ranage from about 10 hours a day and they all seem happy. So my thought is just keep what i have and maybe add a few more hens this spring. Does anyone have experience rooster raised together and any advice? I have heard eventually they might start killing each other but so far they seem to break up into seperate flocks when the are out of the run.

 

[sumi]

There may be problems later if/when one roo decides he is the leader of the flock and another one challenges him for the position, but unless they fight really bad and/or injure each other leave them and let them sort it out. I've kept a few roosters with my flock of 50+ hens and we had very few problems, except when what I described above happened. We rehomed the troublemaker and they flock settled down again.

 

[MorgansManor]

Great thanks for the advice. So far not much fighting only when they are in the enclosed run early in that morning. Once they are to free range it seems all is well. Currently "Mystery" the EE rooster is the domain rooster but it seems like they have enough room to split up the hens into smaller flocks so hopefully they can remain happy roosters.

thanks

 

[Keric]

We had about 3 roosters for about 20 hens at one point. They were all brothers and once they establish their pecking order they should be fine.

 

[MorgansManor]

Great that is what I am hoping since they have all been raised together.