Rooster drama and selection - what should I do?

[LaFleche]

What proportion of roosters should I expect will need to be culled?

I would just leave the shy one and wait how he develops with the others gone.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would not keep 2 roosters unless I had over 25 head. Maybe if I had separate flocks - but I would want at least 8 hens to a rooster for each flock - knowing that is not an exact number. Some roosters need more, some can get by with less. But you really can't plan on getting by with less.

Ridgerunner tends to say -"Keep the least number of roosters that meets your goals." Which is not the same as I have this many cockerels, how can I keep them all.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Roosters are a bit confusing and exasperating compared to hens.

For sure. And you do not have roosters yet, just immature cockerels.

What are your goals, I don't remember seeing those spelled out? It appears you will be breeding and hatching chicks. I saw you mention the SOP, how important is that for you? For some it is very important, for some egg production or something else might be more important.

A human aggressive cockerel, yeah he should be gone. I would not keep the wry tail, it is too easy for genetic accidents to happen.

Generally I like to keep an early maturing rooster. Part of that is that I eat mine so I want them to grow quickly. In my experience they are more likely to establish dominance over the girls by force of character than by physical dominance once they grow up. I've had issues with a timid, late maturing cockerel having to rely on physical force rather than force of personality to take over the flock and become flock master. But each one is different and the personalities of your pullets and hens plays a big part in that also.

That one cockerel is injuring the pullets and hens. It is possible he will grow out of that but no guarantees. If he is a perfect SOP candidate it might be worthwhile housing him separately from the hens and pullets until he grows up and see if he grows out of it. It is possible but in my flock he would be gone. I don't believe that much in the SOP anyway, not for my goals.

Certainly give the timid one a chance, especially if he meets your SOP goals. Just because I've had a bad experience with a timid cockerel does not mean you will. He could easily mature into a great rooster, especially if the girls are compatible.

You started with four. When I bring in a new cockerel to become a flock master I usually start with 20. By the time I get down to 2 or 3 the choice becomes hard but the previous choices were usually pretty clear. You may be OK with that timid one, you may need to start over.

Good luck!

 

[GreenHaven]

Thing is, I think I would cull both the wry tail and the bully. Wait a bit on the shy one, but don’t set your heart on him.

Just because you got four cockerels is not a valid reason to keep them or even one of themvfor breeding. A breeding rooster needs to meet a number of checks.

Contact your local 4- h club, a poultry club, professional breeders. There are a lot of roosters, don’t just make due with these just because you hatched them.

Make a list of your goals and stick to it.

Mrs K

Thank you, this helps alot. I thought maybe i was being overly harsh in my expectations of roosters, because i feel like we are dining on rooster rather frequently. I have some leads on future sources - people who are breeding to the SOP - so that will be next summers project. In the interim, I’ll keep the wry tail for flock protection. He seems is like a gentle rooster.

 

[Beau plus penny]

I have been keeping chickens for only a few years, so I could use some advice from those with more experience. I have a young flock of Australorp - 5 months old. I have 14 hens, and started with 4 roosters so I could be choosy about which I keep. I have removed one (he was aggressive with me), and now have three which is too many for the hens. Of the three, one is wry tailed, so he can't be allowed to breed, but he is the flock leader and seems to be the best behaviorally. One is somewhat slow maturing and is on the timid side, but has no serious defects. The third has no serious defects and matured quickly, so he was the one I was thinking could be breedable, but he is overly "hormonal" and far too rough with the hens. I found two hens with the feathers pulled out of the backs of their necks over the last week, and the skin was actually torn on one. I was thinking he was to blame, but not certain. I thought perhaps he might calm down given a little time, so I moved him to another flock of older 2 year old hens (no other roosters) so that he might learn some manners from them. That was a few days ago. They free range during the day so they have a lot of space. Today I found one of those hens with the side of her head slightly bloodied - so now I regret putting him in there, but I feel pretty sure he is to blame for the others as well. I have isolated him from the others and am unsure what to do with him. I have room for three roosters, I think. Two for the flock of 14 hens, and one for the flock of 7. I think I should keep the wry tailed rooster but not breed him, because he is doing a good job.
So the big question - should the rough rooster be freezer bound? Or do I give him time to mature on his own or with the timid rooster. I could clip their wings and put them in another pen.
Thanks for reading. Any advice is appreciated.

honestly i would keep the timid one since hes nice and isnt agressive any rooster with even slight agressive tendancy toward hens will likely get passed down to offspring roosters so the timid one is probably your best bet

 

[GreenHaven]

I would not keep 2 roosters unless I had over 25 head. Maybe if I had separate flocks - but I would want at least 8 hens to a rooster for each flock - knowing that is not an exact number. Some roosters need more, some can get by with less. But you really can't plan on getting by with less.

Ridgerunner tends to say -"Keep the least number of roosters that meets your goals." Which is not the same as I have this many cockerels, how can I keep them all.

I would just leave the shy one and wait how he develops with the others gone.

I spent alot of time in the run yesterday, and noticed the shy one being rough with the girls and not sharing treats. He’s shy of me and the other roosters, so I think I was wrong about him.

I had all the Rooster separated once they started maturing, and only recently have blended them in two at a time. I should have done this one at a time, using the best specimen to see if hes a gentleman.

I’ll keep wry tail as flock protecter until I find a better specimen next year. He shares food and the hens seem to want to be near him.

 

[GreenHaven]

honestly i would keep the timid one since hes nice and isnt agressive any rooster with even slight agressive tendancy toward hens will likely get passed down to offspring roosters so the timid one is probably your best bet

Good point. I choose these breeds because they are docile, so i dont want those genes.

 

[GreenHaven]

Thank you. I will start over, but keep the wry tail for protection until i bring in new candidates.

I am not that interested in perfect SOP specimens - i wont be showing them - but I dont want to introduce many defects. I think temperment and speed of development can be overlooked, but they are important. I established a Dorking flock for their meaty breasts, and an Australorp flock for eggs. The Australorps mature fast - while the Dorkings are very slow, but the hens are sweet and seem to be good broodies.

So Im happy with my breed selections, finally, but need to focus on bringing in better genetics. I will replace wry tail before I let any hatching be allowed, or give the broodies some purchased eggs.

 

[GreenHaven]

For sure. And you do not have roosters yet, just immature cockerels.

What are your goals, I don't remember seeing those spelled out? It appears you will be breeding and hatching chicks. I saw you mention the SOP, how important is that for you? For some it is very important, for some egg production or something else might be more important.

A human aggressive cockerel, yeah he should be gone. I would not keep the wry tail, it is too easy for genetic accidents to happen.

Generally I like to keep an early maturing rooster. Part of that is that I eat mine so I want them to grow quickly. In my experience they are more likely to establish dominance over the girls by force of character than by physical dominance once they grow up. I've had issues with a timid, late maturing cockerel having to rely on physical force rather than force of personality to take over the flock and become flock master. But each one is different and the personalities of your pullets and hens plays a big part in that also.

That one cockerel is injuring the pullets and hens. It is possible he will grow out of that but no guarantees. If he is a perfect SOP candidate it might be worthwhile housing him separately from the hens and pullets until he grows up and see if he grows out of it. It is possible but in my flock he would be gone. I don't believe that much in the SOP anyway, not for my goals.

Certainly give the timid one a chance, especially if he meets your SOP goals. Just because I've had a bad experience with a timid cockerel does not mean you will. He could easily mature into a great rooster, especially if the girls are compatible.

You started with four. When I bring in a new cockerel to become a flock master I usually start with 20. By the time I get down to 2 or 3 the choice becomes hard but the previous choices were usually pretty clear. You may be OK with that timid one, you may need to start over.

Good luck!

Thank you for your reply. I posted above what was meant to be a reply - but i goofed it up. All these responses have helped me decide what to do.

 

[GreenHaven]

Thinking back on this - rhetorical question - I’m wondering how many of you chuckled over my statement that I ordered 4 roosters so i could be selective. I certainly am.