Newbie needs help/advice

[Medicine]

We’ve recently become the owners of some cockerels/hens - left by previous occupier of a farm we bought.

As far as I can tell there are 2 Brahma and 2 Welsummer Cockerels and 2 hens (unsure of breed).

One of the Welsummer cockerels seems to have taken over / separated the two hens leaving the other 3 cockerels to their own devices. They occupy one of our barns, and the ménage a trois seem to roam alone taking roost in the joists of another barn.

We’ve never had poultry before and are unsure whether to ditch the two brahmas or get more hens for everyone?

Neither have proper hen houses and roam free around the courtyard roosting at night in the barns, which we’d like to utilise for other purposes.

Our concern is that we have too many cocks (obviously we would have thought), and if we throw them all together with the addition of more hens, that the combination may not work.

And even with that, what breed of hens we purchase.

Or what other options we may have aside from giving them all away and starting again if we actually want to raise poultry for eggs.

One of the hens disappeared of late, returning every other day looking bedraggled and wet - we thought sitting on eggs somewhere but we have yet to find any, or hear any cheaps / tiny pattering feet ://

We literally don’t have a clue so any advice would be greatly appreciated!
)
Many thanks in advance

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Definitely you have to decide whether you're in our out at this present time on Chicken keeping. If you're in, you're absolutely right that the ratio of roo's to hen's is very bad. If it were me, I'd get rid of the 3 roo's and add a few more hen's to the existing 2 + 1 roo. As for breed type, also decide if you want mutt chicks, purebred chicks or chicks at all. And have a designated area = secure coop and run ensuring they are locked up at night. I'd keep them in the new space/process for a few weeks so that you are not wondering if there is a nest somewhere else and you can collect eggs to eat or allow to become chicks, you're in control of that. THEN allowing them out of the coop, run during the day for "free-ranging," is up to you. I do, do that and feel it is very beneficial. Some people don't for fear of day time predators, it's your choice. It's a learning curve at first if you're up to it, and then when done right, it's very little work at all (I always have a flock of about 12 and my daily chores take 5minutes.) Good Luck! BYC is here to help! Welcome to BYC.

 

[bobbi-j]

Since the one cockerel seems to have claimed the two hens, I’d let that be and rehome or eat the other three cockerels. (If you have young children who live at or visit your place, I’d lose all 4 of them.)“Adding more hens” isn’t always the answer. It can create more problems than it solves. The rooster/hen ratio often quoted is used primarily by large breeders to ensure optimal fertility. It’s not necessarily a “need” for a backyard or small flock. You can have one rooster to 20 hens and still have barebacked hens. You can also have one rooster to two or three hens and not have a problem.

 

[ChicFil- A]

Definitely you have to decide whether you're in our out at this present time on Chicken keeping. If you're in, you're absolutely right that the ratio of roo's to hen's is very bad. If it were me, I'd get rid of the 3 roo's and add a few more hen's to the existing 2 + 1 roo. As for breed type, also decide if you want mutt chicks, purebred chicks or chicks at all. And have a designated area = secure coop and run ensuring they are locked up at night. I'd keep them in the new space/process for a few weeks so that you are not wondering if there is a nest somewhere else and you can collect eggs to eat or allow to become chicks, you're in control of that. THEN allowing them out of the coop, run during the day for "free-ranging," is up to you. I do, do that and feel it is very beneficial. Some people don't for fear of day time predators, it's your choice. It's a learning curve at first if you're up to it, and then when done right, it's very little work at all (I always have a flock of about 12 and my daily chores take 5minutes.) Good Luck! BYC is here to help! Welcome to BYC.

Great answer

 

[Ridgerunner]

First thing you need to do is decide what you want to do. Having no experience that may also be your hardest thing to do. You don't know what to base a decision on.

Do you happen to know how old they are? Are the girls laying? It sounds like they are mature enough to have worked out the pecking order and flock dominance issues. That's a good place to be. Some photos if you can manage might help us understand what is going on as far as age and maybe even tell us the breed of the hens, though as far as I'm concerned the breed isn't that important right now. Still, people like to know and it could come in handy later.

It sounds like they are free ranging and probably taking care of themselves like chickens have been doing for thousands of years on small farms. As long as the weather is good chickens can take care of themselves as far as food much better than many people realize as long as they have a variety of forage, which you probably have on your farm. It might help to know where you are so we can understand what your winters may be like. They may need supplemental feeding.

There is a fair chance you don't have to worry about the number of roosters as long as they free range and stay apart. That includes sleeping apart. If you try to lock them all together you are much more likely to see problems, such as serious fighting. What you are seeing is pretty close to what a feral flock would do. The dominant rooster runs all of the other males out of the flock and they set up a periphery flock until one can establish a territory and attract hens. Or go back, beat up the dominant rooster, and take over the flock.

When they free range they are more susceptible to predators, during the day and at night. Some people that let them free range during the day and sleep in open barns and trees can go years without a predator attack. Others can be wiped out almost immediately. You never know when or if you will lose a chicken or several chickens to a predator. One big reason you build them a coop and lock them up, especially at night, is to protect them from predators.

Breed is a big question on here for many people. Why do you want to have chickens, if you do? I'd sort of need to know your goals for them before I start talking breed. We all have our preferences, including me. But it is your goals that count for your flock, not mine.

Good luck, it's not always easy.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Welcome here you have been given some great advice. Once you get them used to where they go at night ( not the barn) that would help. I had an oops rooster that was supposed to be a girl and it does upset the flow of the flock of hens. Now that he's gone ( I'm only in this for eggs and companionship) the flock seems to flow. Good luck these members can answer anything you ask. Personally I'd keep the roo and hens for winter retrain them to "their space" and decide next spring or so.

 

[Medicine]

Hi all - thank you sooo much for your kind, considered and obviously-informed responses. And sincere apologies for taking sooo long to respond to them - some tech issues with lost phones and failing laptops and some time issues trying to get this place in some sort of order, and wanting to give due attention to my reply.
To add some further info in response to advice/queries -
@SandyRiverChick - thank you! Both for your immediate heads-up and wide-ranging advice. Yes I think we’re in for the eggs at least; producing and raising ‘babies’ not for now, as we feel still too much to learn.
@bobbi-j - thank you for your response and for raising more questions that we will need answers for!
@Ridgerunner - again, thank you for all your advice. We don’t know how old they are, (or what breed to supplement with)...hopefully the attached photos requested will help. We don’t know if they are laying as have found no evidence apart from what I said earlier about one hen going awol.
They seem to be good at taking care of themselves, roaming widely around the farm with no apparent danger at present, although we’re not naive to suggest there won’t be, so more protection for them would be essential I’d say. They also come running for the intermittent daily corn hand-outs when offered so they get supplemental feeding. The 3 roosters have sole use of the only feeder we have at present.
We’re in County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland - ‘wet’ would be our go-to weather status.
And last but not least, @Happy hen lover, thank you! Yes I think some housekeeping is in order - getting rid of the 3 ‘amigos’, building some shelter…and waiting for spring to make the next move would be best. )

Thank you all!

 

[aart]

We’re in County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland

Welcome to BYC! @Medicine
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
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