Rooster Behaviors

[slpmom]

We have six chickens- 4 are hens and 2 are roosters. We hand raised them from birth and they are very sweet. I do have some questions about if we are doing the right thing regarding behavior. They are all 8 months old.

Background:Where we live, we have a sound ordinance. I can have chickens and roosters but if the neighbor complains, doesn't matter the animal must go. Under our house, we have a pool changing room. Nice little room (light, warm a window..etc). We set up a coop in that room and have been putting the two "boys" in at night . They start waking up crowing at 5 am but we make them stay in there until 9. We let them out and they are free ranged for the rest of the day. The "ladies" have a big coop outside and get to come out at 7. We have over an acre but it doesn't matter where we live-only sound.

So far, all has been good. Chickens are happy, neighbors are happy. I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop and some day the roosters will revolt and peck our eyes out for putting them in their jail We want to keep them and afraid what would happen if we had to get rid of them- they would be food or used for cockfighting.

I'd appreciate your ideas and thoughts

 

[Mom of 6 chicks]

slpmom, welcome fellow newbie!!! We too have six chickens we've hand raised from the age of 2 weeks. They're about 14 weeks old now and three have decided to serenade the neighborhood at 5 am this weekend...not a good thing considering we live on a 10,000 sq ft lot just outside the city limits. I so wish we had a soundproof coop or a basement set up like yours, but already the boys are sparring with each other and take it out on the girls. In order for us to have chickens, we have to be able to provide names for each and "Barbecue," "Rotisserie," and "Roaster" just didn't seem appealing to me (I could never butcher them).

The sad part about backyard chickens is when you have to part with them, knowing each by name and personality...all their little quirks that us chicken owners love to watch. Luckily, my three roo's are headed back to the 2-acre farm where they were hatched (in-laws), unless I decide to keep one. They are beauties...two look like barred olive eggers and the third will look like his papa...a salmon faverolle...and BOY does papa have an attitude!!! The third one is the one I would love to keep. He's a sweetie...not like his papa.

Although your two roosters are friendly now, depending on the breed of chicken...they might not stay that friendly. It helps that you have had a lot of hands-on contact with them, but they are after all...roosters...and they will do what they do. You'll know if it becomes a problem. I wish you all the best with your "clutch" of chooks.

 

[Runawaylobster]

yes i have to agree, 4 girls and 2 boys is not an easy ratio to manage, sooner or later the boys will decide to duke it out, unless one is markedly inferior to the other in which case they have probably sorted it out already. Usually by 8 months mine have become unmanageable as a pair mixed in with hens so you are doing well so far!

 

[slpmom]

Thanks for the reply- I think they have sorted out who is more superior than the other. They don't fight at all ( they actually have to be together at all times). The dominant rooster has claimed one hen as his own. Those two are always together --like a little old married couple. The other rooster, is mostly with the other 3 hens. I am not in a place to buy more hens for them all-my husband I think would serve me papers if I did . They are black splash English Orbington Cuckoos if that means anything. Beautiful birds- just extremely large!

 

[Mom of 6 chicks]

My three roosters, when they aren't sparring with each other, appear to act as if they are mother hens to each other, even preen each other. We have a direct view of the coop from our patio and are using a heat lamp on extremely cold nights. Through the window on the coop, we observe the three roosters cuddling together every night. Daytime is a different story, once I let them out of the coop and out of the portable pen. That's when the sparring is at its peak. At the youthful age of 14 weeks, I see their sparring as a test of adulthood. I don't even want to imagine what will happen once the hens begin laying. You are fortunate to have enough space for your chickens. I wish all good thoughts in your experience.