Rooster Flock Thread

[igorsMistress]

I have a question about rooster flocks...is it easier to integrate if the boys all grow up together? Less major fights when they're older?
Also, what about crowing? More or less the same without hens around?

 

[BiggJohnn]

I have a question about rooster flocks...is it easier to integrate if the boys all grow up together? Less major fights when they're older?
Also, what about crowing? More or less the same without hens around?

The Red/brown rooster is the dad, he raised them all together. They fought a little, bit seem to be ok now. The head rooster has a hen that he takes care of, no one else touches her. Lol

 

[Roosters110]

I have two roosters currently hope to get more chicks.All my roosters are pets and are very friendly,accept the Cochin he’s a little crazy
Zeus is going on three years the Cochin is still young maybe a year and half I’m gonna guess.
Do waddles grow back?Because my Rooster Zeus caught frostbite and his wattles shrunk unfortunately.

 

[Roosters110]

I feed my roosters all flock feed,scratch and whatever they find when free ranging and whatever left overs we have.

I'm introducing some younger Cockerels into my rooster flock today. I have them in a separate cage so they can still see each other. They won't all be together for too long, I just long enough for me to choose which ones are going in my breeding pens, which will be back ups and which will be culls.

My question is, what are people feeding their rooster flocks? Mine all under 4 months, and they're still eating medicated 18% chick feed. I know the extra calcium in layer feed isn't good for them, so do you go to meat grower? My oldest birds just started dropping weight over the last two weeks, but no one is fighting...

 

[Roosters110]

Anyone else’s rooster started sparring cause of spring?

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Got a better pic of my rooster flock.

Lovely roosters! Do they have names?

I have a question about rooster flocks...is it easier to integrate if the boys all grow up together? Less major fights when they're older?
Also, what about crowing? More or less the same without hens around?

Yes, it is usually easier to integrate them if they grew up together. However, even if they did grow up together, that does not guarantee that they will get along perfectly with each other.
My roosters definitely crow more when they can see and interact with the hens.

I have two roosters currently hope to get more chicks.All my roosters are pets and are very friendly,accept the Cochin he’s a little crazy
Zeus is going on three years the Cochin is still young maybe a year and half I’m gonna guess.
Do waddles grow back?Because my Rooster Zeus caught frostbite and his wattles shrunk unfortunately.

Very pretty roosters! Is Zeus a production red?
I haven't ever had a problem with frostbite, but I've never heard of wattles growing back.

 

[bbond]

I have 5 roosters 8 months of age. They are all brothers or at least they all have the same dad.
I've had there coops all separated and each one has 3 hens. Just got a call that I have to transfer unexpectedly to Tennessee so if I brought the flock I would have to build 1 coop and run at the new house. So I figured let's see how they do. I let all my hens and roosters out the last couple days for a short period every day. I'm very very suprised the ones I thought would fight don't fight. They all got along great and avoided conflict except my wyandotte sexlink mix roo. He's high stress and tried to eliminate 2 of his larger brothers and if I didn't stop him he would have. This is the roo that acted like a hen until he was 6 months old. He first crowed at 7 months and wasn't interested in the ladies until then also.
So it looks like he will be the only one separated at the new house from the rest of the flock. He did get along with my dog which is odd. Thought I'd share as I'm learning new things with my flock everyday and this is going to be white a journey 2000 miles.

Where in Tennessee are you moving? I’m in the Middle Tennessee area. Let me know if you have any questions about the area.

 

[smileygreen64]

I have a lot of chickens. There are 15 coops plus a large grow out pen they move to after the brooder. Each coop is a different breed. I hatch a lot of chicks and sell them and I also sell hatching eggs. The problem I have right now is I want to keep more than will fit in my coops comfortably, and I need back up roosters in case some thing happens to my best breeder. A hawk got one a few months ago and I had no replacement. I was thinking I could keep my best hens and the best rooster in the coops I have now, and they would essentially be used just for breeding coops. Then I was going to build two more large community type coops where all my back up hens and roosters could go. The back up hens would together in one coop, and I could sell/use their eggs for eating. A lot of people seem to have an issue with eating fertile eggs. The other coop would be for my back up roosters. Anyone have a set up similar or have any advice? I have breeds from OEGB's to Brahmas, and every size in between. Do you think a rooster coop would be possible with that range in size?

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I have a lot of chickens. There are 15 coops plus a large grow out pen they move to after the brooder. Each coop is a different breed. I hatch a lot of chicks and sell them and I also sell hatching eggs. The problem I have right now is I want to keep more than will fit in my coops comfortably, and I need back up roosters in case some thing happens to my best breeder. A hawk got one a few months ago and I had no replacement. I was thinking I could keep my best hens and the best rooster in the coops I have now, and they would essentially be used just for breeding coops. Then I was going to build two more large community type coops where all my back up hens and roosters could go. The back up hens would together in one coop, and I could sell/use their eggs for eating. A lot of people seem to have an issue with eating fertile eggs. The other coop would be for my back up roosters. Anyone have a set up similar or have any advice? I have breeds from OEGB's to Brahmas, and every size in between. Do you think a rooster coop would be possible with that range in size?

As long as your coop is big enough, I think it would work. Also, make some places where the smaller or more bullied roosters can hang out, so they don't have to be constantly chased around. My bottom roo likes to hang out on the perches when they're not free ranging.

 

[smileygreen64]

As long as your coop is big enough, I think it would work. Also, make some places where the smaller or more bullied roosters can hang out, so they don't have to be constantly chased around. My bottom roo likes to hang out on the perches when they're not free ranging.

That's what I was thinking. I sketched up some plans. I figure I will have a maximum of 40 roosters at any given time. More likely closer to 30. I was planning on making the roosting area and feed and water area 6 foot tall to be able to walk into. The rest I was going to make with 4 foot tall welded wire fencing and covering it to keep hawks out. It won't need to be as tall in that area because I won't have to walk around in there getting eggs or anything. If I used a 100 foot roll that would give them about 700 square feet if you add the square footage of the roost. Plus they would be able to free range when the hens were cooped up. I was planning on setting up some hiding places for the younger ones about a foot off the ground. If they needed to get away the worst that could happen under a low shelter would be getting pecked since they wouldn't be able spur underneath.