Roo or hen? And what to do....

[Mskatu]

I have a small back yard flock. When I am home, all the gals get to be out and about....and that usually means they are hanging with me out the back while I do crafty projects and they just...well, be chickens....When they are coop-ed up, they have a three story enclosure (old kids fort turned coop) that has both a covered and uncovered run. The coop has 16 sq ft per floor, and the out door area totals about 130 sq ft....

Here's the question....I had 3 Isa Brown gals of unknown age (I got them las my first try at this, from a family not too far away) and I just added what I believed to be 3 new 16 week old Rhode Island Red hens.....after taking precautions and introducing them over time....I now think I may have at least 2 new roos! and not 3 hens at all.

None of the newbies has made any attempt at crowing.....but......

#1 has bright yellow, thicker legs with a shimmer of green in "its" tail feathers (yah, pretty sure it's a roo...) as well as fairly red comb/wattle......it allows me to pick it up (not willingly, but it no longer fusses about it)

#2 is definitely a female in comparison to #1 as her comb is tiny, just starting to go red, her legs are not yellow, and her tail feathers look like my Isa Brown's tail feathers

#3 is the real unknown.....this one came to me with no tail feathers at all (the farm I got them from had many different kinds of chickens, roos and hens all mixed...so I am thinking this little one may have lost them??) its legs are between the colour of the other two (sort of yellow but maybe more beige?) and its comb colour and size are between the two.....

All three are supposedly 18/19 weeks old....

this first photo shows #1



still #1 (thinking it's a too)


#3 is the one on the right....see the leg colour is very different.....and no tail feathers...


#3 is the one on the right.... not a great photo of all three....

OK, million dollar question....all 6 seem to get along fine. The hen pecking is minimal now. There is no crowing.....they all roost together.....my older gals (still laying) are the bosses....IF the two are definitely roosters, can they all live happily together? They have been together for 2 weeks now....the only thing is the occasional chest bumping between the two on the left....

Any thoughts and help would be great appreciated.

 

[GitaBooks]

Yep, it looks like the two you suspect are roos, which means you have 4 hens. Unfortunately, while the roosters may get along, they will over-breed the hens, causing stress and injury. If you are going to keep two roosters together then they need at least 8 hens each to avoid this problem.

I hope this helps. Best of luck!

 

[donrae]

Yep, two cockerels.

You should just go ahead and get rid of the cockerels. They may be able to live together okay, but your hens are quite likely going to be ganged up on and that's never a pretty picture. Stressed hens don't lay as well and are more prone to parasites and disease.

 

[Mskatu]

Thank you! Not that I am happy........I got them 4 weeks ago (thought it was only 3....but it's 4) and the woman said she was "sure" they were all hens......it became apparent about 2 weeks ago.

So do I keep one or re-home both?? Would love some advice....I am new to this......

Thanks!

 

[drumstick diva]

Unless you need fertile eggs for selling/hatching, there really is no need to have a rooster. Hens will continue to lay just as well and won't be harassed, feather damaged, or as stressed without a rooster. It's your call.

I notice in the 3rd. photo, the bird on the left seems to have a crooked or possible broken toe. Or maybe it's just an awkward stance.

 

[Mskatu]

Well, I will try and re-home them........dang.

 

[Mskatu]

Funny thing about the roosters....they both have crooked toes!!!

 

[Mskatu]

Thank you by the way for all the quick responses! I really appreciate the help!

 

[GitaBooks]

Well, I will try and re-home them........dang.

Rehoming is probably for the best, as hens don't need a rooster.

However, just thought I would add, I find my hens adore my top rooster and all want to be with him as much as possible. He is way larger then them, so I can't say he is gentle, but he tries to be.

I hope you can find them a great home.

 

[Mskatu]

So good news for me......the woman who sold them to me as hens will exchange them for 2 caramel queens........that are 5 weeks old.

I do have another small coop/run that is near the other girls.....how old should they be before they join the big girls? Thank you!!!