Pullet or roo? I’m not sure. Six week old BPR. Help!

[Frazzemrat1]

You have two cute little cockerels there.... Both the barred and the black next to him are cockerels.

 

[Ceville1966]

You have two cute little cockerels there.... Both the barred and the black next to him are cockerels.

Oh wow! I hope they will get along because I want to keep them

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Oh wow! I hope they will get along because I want to keep them

Your best bet is to limit their contact once they get into teenager stage. If you have the room, separate them from the girls (but keep them together) in a bachelor flock. They will keep each other company without the hormonal pressure of needing to mate. If you want to breed one or the other of them, introduce them to their females separate from the other cockerel, or you will have fighting.

 

[Ceville1966]

You have two cute little cockerels there.... Both the barred and the black next to him are cockerels.

I now have two cockerels and 17 hens/pullets. Five of my girls are a year and a half old. Hopefully my girls will keep them too busy to fuss with each other

 

[rebrascora]

Your problem is more likely to be will they over mate the pullets you have and do you have enough pullets and hens to make over mating less likely and do you have a big enough pen and coop. Two cockerels will mean that the flock needs more space.

Edited to add that I now see you have sufficient females for them both, so they may get along since they have been brought up together.

 

[Ceville1966]

Your problem is more likely to be will they over mate the pullets you have and do you have enough pullets and hens to make over mating less likely and do you have a big enough pen and coop. Two cockerels will mean that the flock needs more space.

I have a fairly large hen house and a smaller coop in a 20x30 fenced in yard that my sons are going to expand to 30x70. I hope that’s enough space. I also have 17 girls for them. I plan on having around 20-25 hens and hopefully that will keep them happy

 

[Trux]

Cockerel

 

[Ceville1966]

Your best bet is to limit their contact once they get into teenager stage. If you have the room, separate them from the girls (but keep them together) in a bachelor flock. They will keep each other company without the hormonal pressure of needing to mate. If you want to breed one or the other of them, introduce them to their females separate from the other cockerel, or you will have fighting.

Thank you so much for this information. Thankfully I have the space to keep them separated

 

[Ceville1966]

Thank you so much for this information. Thankfully I have the space to keep them separated

At what age should I separate them?

 

[Trux]

At what age should I separate them?

12-13 weeks