- Jun 2, 2012
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Need some advice! We started fostering three roos last year, and the family had to move away and was never able to pick them up for processing. Currently, we have those 3, plus ten hens (one is a Silkie Bantam). Two of the roos are Buffs, and one is an Australorp named Shadow. They are all free-range.
Personally, I am a big fan of Shadow. He has always been the top bird since he arrived, and I have various Shadow stories (true ones) depicting him going out of his way to protect the hens and even showing me where to find them when they get separated. I can take or leave the others.
My husband feels, however, (and, for all I know, he could be right; that's why I'm here asking) that the flock is safer from predators with 3 roosters. He sees Shadow stay with some, and the others go off with one of the others. Thus, without the extra roos, the hens that wander off would be in danger. Is this true? We have a MUCH better predator loss record this year than in previous years. I give the credit to Shadow, but???
Problem is, our 3 Buff girls are looking desperately overbred.
Here is the question: Should we get rid of the extra roosters?
TIA!
Personally, I am a big fan of Shadow. He has always been the top bird since he arrived, and I have various Shadow stories (true ones) depicting him going out of his way to protect the hens and even showing me where to find them when they get separated. I can take or leave the others.
My husband feels, however, (and, for all I know, he could be right; that's why I'm here asking) that the flock is safer from predators with 3 roosters. He sees Shadow stay with some, and the others go off with one of the others. Thus, without the extra roos, the hens that wander off would be in danger. Is this true? We have a MUCH better predator loss record this year than in previous years. I give the credit to Shadow, but???
Problem is, our 3 Buff girls are looking desperately overbred.
Here is the question: Should we get rid of the extra roosters?
TIA!
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