Raising Cockerel Bantam

Sassysouth

Free Ranging
7 Years
May 12, 2016
2,663
14,671
572
Decatur, AL
I am a first time bantam owner and first time cockerel owner. All chicks are approx 3-4 weeks old.

I have 5 Brahma Bantams, 1 being male (for sure), in one pen.
I have 6 Silkies. 2 show signs of being male at this point. And 5 Bantam Cochins, in another pen.

I have read several posts, and not sure what I should be doing differently in raising a cockeral.
Should I not pick him up? He already will peck at me when I do. I may have to possibly separate him from the girls until everyone is mature? Then, I am assuming each cockerel will need his own pen? Can I have 2 Cockerels if they have their own hens? I know much of this will probably become clear in the future. Just looking for Cockerel/Rooster insight.
 
We had five leghorn roosters. It did not end well! they ended up in the butcher shop!:D When we got a new rooster we kept him beside the full grown girls in a separate pen for a week or so. ( if it makes a difference to you, the rooster was also full grown when bought ) Then we put him in with the girls and he does great with them!
 
It all depends on the roo, really. I feel the more you handle them when chicks, the better. I've had 7 roos at one time, my head roo was a great roo and kept everyone in line. I do not tolerate bad roos, they go straight to the freezer. Of course it is always easier to just have one, keeps things so much simpler in a mixed flock with shared outdoor run space. Feel things out and see what works for your space and flock. I feel roos are the best when mature so you will have to suffer thru the hormone addled roos for awhile. Their temperament can really change once mature.
 
It all depends on the roo, really. I feel the more you handle them when chicks, the better. I've had 7 roos at one time, my head roo was a great roo and kept everyone in line. I do not tolerate bad roos, they go straight to the freezer. Of course it is always easier to just have one, keeps things so much simpler in a mixed flock with shared outdoor run space. Feel things out and see what works for your space and flock. I feel roos are the best when mature so you will have to suffer thru the hormone addled roos for awhile. Their temperament can really change once mature.

Thank you! When do they start looking after the girls, and not being self centered? Dancing, showing them where food is, etc?
 
The roo I have now is about 26 weeks and he is pretty good so far with the girls. Dances and calls them for bits he's found. Runs up to me for treats and I can easily pick him up. I haven't had a young roo for a long time. My last roo died this past fall and he was 10 years old. Best roo I ever had. If I remember right, my young roo was about 15-16 weeks when he was trying to side step for the older hens. Poor guy kept falling off. No form. He was calling them for food even at that early age. I butchered the other young roos about that time and noticed that he really settled down after that. I think it helped not having all that testosterone all over the place. I had 11 roos after incubating this spring and that was WAY to much roo for 13 hens. The only thing that drives me crazy is he has to chase all the girls when I first let them out in the mornings. I guess he has to assert his maleness in case the girls forgot. The rest of the day he just hangs out, walks around and dust bathes with them.
 

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