Questions about roosters from a newbie...

[lizdelc]

Hi. I have a mixed flock of large breed, heritage chickens. I have Buff Orpingrons, Silver laced Wyandottes, Speckled Sussex, Black Copper Marans, and a couple easter eggers for their pretty eggs... These hens are hatchery stock, just over a year old, and there are 13 of them in total.

Here is my question- I had a SLW rooster and he turned out to have bad manners, so he went to freezer camp.

However, I free range quite a bit and he was great at keeping track of all the hens. I also really love a good crow. I can't help it. The farm seems to quiet now.

I have decided to add a pair of Crele Orpingtons from a local breeder. These are not hatchery stock. My orpingtons are by far my friendliest hens, so I am hopeful that the rooster will also be a bit more people friendly. Fingers crossed! That being said, I was also offered a Marans rooster. They would all be about 4 months old. So, as a newbie this may be a silly question... Do you think it would be okay to have 2 roosters with 14 (possibly 15) hens? Would they get along if they are from different places, and still juveniles? Am I setting myself up for unhappy hens and roosters? Or, will they keep eachother in check and have different favorite hens? I feel like I had read somewhere that a lot of people find more success with more than one rooster. I would love to hear some feedback from the experts! THANKS!

 

[gamebirdsonly]

with that many hens it would be okay to have 2 roos. If their like most roos there usually always a little fighting going on. If you free range they'll will find a area that they like to hang out and leave each other alone for the most part.

At least that what some of mine do.

 

[Mrs. K]

really, I would pass on the maran. Get the BO, and have a happy flock. Too many roosters are hard on flocks. Often times they create a lot of tension. If they are from different places there is a good possibility that they will fight it out to determine who is top rooster. They may fight once, and settle it, or they may continue to take up the fight at intervals.

In my experience, a father son pair whereas the son is raised up in the flock works best, two brothers or chicks from the same hatch, sometimes work well together, but it can fall apart in what seems like an instant. Strange roosters to each other is asking for a cockfight.

All of this will upset your hens. Ridge runner says it best, get the bare minimum of roosters for your needs. I would not think of needing two roosters unless I had a flock of over 25 hens and was planning on expanding. 25-50 birds, and the space to handle that many birds, and one is more justified in keeping multiple roosters.

Many people have a Rooster and spare, but you are talking a bit larger flocks, than a dozen bird +/- set ups.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Years ago I bred an aging game rooster to a yard of about 45 hens. There was 60 acres of cow pasture, a barn, and an old farm house on this property in which an old farmer lived. It was the farmer's job to feed the flock, gather the eggs, and kill any and all predators that showed up. I sold the eggs to an acquaintance of mine and he reported an 80% hatch rate. Now this hatch rate won't make you a millionaire in the hatchery bizz but it also ain't bad for a 4 or 5 year old rooster.

 

[lazy gardener]

My roo has happily serviced 24 hens with excellent fertility.

 

[lizdelc]

Okay. I think one rooster is enough for me! The last thing I want is chicken drama! Crossing my fingers the orp is as friendly as my others!! Thanks all!