One bantam Rooster and 3 asa brown hens

[Jami F]

I am new and have one cute black and white bantam rooster and three red asa browns. All 3 months old. Will that be okay? Someone will take the rooster if I want but he is so friendly and comes when I call and loves me to rub his back, I don’t won’t to get rid of him. I have two coops, should he not sleep with them and sleep alone? Advice?

 

[Folly's place]

It may work out, or not. Cockerels are wonderful, if polite, and horrid if they get ugly, either with their flockmates, or humans. It's too soon to be sure about yours, so see how it goes.
Or, move him on now, and consider getting some straight run chicks in spring, when you have more experience, and your hens can help raise and humble a new cockerel, with a few more pullets.
Often, 'friendly' cockerels are actually bold, and have no respect for you as they mature. it's easy to misinterpret behaviors when you haven't had experience with chickens.
Mary

 

[black_cat]

I would give it a try, especially because your cockerel sounds great. I personally would have more hens before I tried to get a rooster, but it all depends on the temperament of the cockerel. I'd see how it goes, if he gets mean and nasty you can get rid of him. If things are working out but you notice the hens getting overmated I'd get them some saddles and buy some sexed female chicks, or some more adult hens.

 

[NatJ]

I am new and have one cute black and white bantam rooster and three red asa browns. All 3 months old. Will that be okay?... I have two coops, should he not sleep with them and sleep alone? Advice?

They might be OK, might not.

I would NOT make him live alone or sleep alone unless there is a problem. Chickens don't do well alone. So watch in case he does pick on the pullets or try to mate with them too often, but I think they should live together unless he does.

Him being smaller than the pullets might help a bit--at least he won't accidentally squish them the way he might if he were bigger than them.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

I would give it a chance. And I would keep them together unless problems arise.

 

[Jami F]

Thank you all for advice and tips!! I appreciate your experience.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Why do you want that boy? What are your goals around having a rooster? The only reason you need a rooster is if you want fertile eggs. Anything else is personal preference. Nothing wrong with personal preference, I have a few of those myself. But those are a want, not a need. I generally suggest you keep as few males as you can and still meet your goals. That's not because problems are guaranteed with more but the more you have the more likely you are to have problems. I don't know if the right number for you is 0 or 1.

I'm not concerned at the number of females. You can have the same issues with one rooster and 3 hens as you can with one rooster and 23 hens. I'm also not concerned with him being a bantam and them being full sized fowl. His personality and the girl's personality are what matters. It's the spirit in the chicken that counts, not the size. The girls have a part to play in this too. If you decide you want to keep a boy, he is as good as any as long as he meets your goals.

They are still quite immature, puberty probably hasn't hit yet. He could start puberty any day now or it could be months away. Often when they are going through puberty it can get pretty wild. His hormones might take control and he will start trying to mate with the girls whether they want to or not. Usually at that age the girls don't want to so he forces them. That's not to fertilize the eggs, they usually aren't laying yet. That's how he establishes dominance over them and becomes flock master. As someone on here once said, watching them go through puberty is often not for the faint of heart. When they all mature it usually becomes very peaceful.

You don't get guarantees with living animals and their behaviors. Sometimes this process goes so smoothly you wonder what al the worry was about. Sometimes this is so violent and unsettling that people decide they don't need a rooster after all. I have no idea where your little flock will wind up.

Another of my standard suggestions is to make your decision based on what you see, not what some stranger over the internet like me says. Each flock is different. We all have our own wants, preferences, and tolerances. That juvenile phase may not be a big deal for you, it may be hard to watch. If you can get through it they tend to settle down a lot.

Good luck!

 

[Jami F]

Wow, great information. Thanks. The girls seem to like him and cuddle with him on perch. They all follow each other around. Have about 20 acres of land and they are in the 2 acre fenced back yard. I have them a 10x8 coop. I want them as pets really. I’m retired and have lots of time to bond with them. I’m calling them my ”pandemic chickens.” Anyway, if he turns mean, I’ll let him go to another home. Thanks again for all the information.

 

[Jami F]

Hey new friends, can I ask you another question? So far, the little bantam and his three girls are getting along great, running, playing, and eating together. But at bedtime, the three girls are sleeping inside the coop and he’s sleeping on top of the coop. The coop is inside a 10x10 fence (with a fence top also) so no predator problem, but he’s not sleeping inside? Is this okay? Should I make him go inside with the girls and shut the door to it or let him sleep on top. Another question too. We have bought a new 8x10 coop and want to keep the little coop for when the rooster might get mean. How do I teach them to go to the new coop at bedtime? You all have been great so thanks in advance for helping me.

 

[NatJ]

But at bedtime, the three girls are sleeping inside the coop and he’s sleeping on top of the coop. The coop is inside a 10x10 fence (with a fence top also) so no predator problem, but he’s not sleeping inside? Is this okay? Should I make him go inside with the girls and shut the door to it or let him sleep on top.

Sleeping on top of the coop: if it's safe from predators, then whether it is a problem will depend on the weather. (Sleeping outside in rain or snow might not be a good idea.) As for why he sleeps outside, the little coop might be too small for that number of chickens, or the hens might chase him out, or he might just like the fresh air outside.

We have bought a new 8x10 coop and want to keep the little coop for when the rooster might get mean. How do I teach them to go to the new coop at bedtime?

New coop: put them all in and keep them there for several days (day and night), and they will get used to sleeping there. Or if you want to let them out in the daytime, put them in each afternoon before bedtime, so when evening comes they are already inside and will put themselves to bed in there.

After several days or maybe a week, they should be used to sleeping in the new coop. The first few days that you let them back out in the daytime, check at night to make sure they really did go to sleep in the right place.