Rooster Flock Thread

[MROO]

It sounds like you’ll be fine. I’ve had success with pairs of roosters, but that’s unfortunately not always the case for others.

From your keyboard to the roosters' ears ... I'm not anticipating any serious issues, but you never know. Life with roosters does tend to swing between unpredictable and entertaining ... often both at the same time. I DO enjoy my Boys!

 

[MickWithChicks]

Life with roosters does tend to swing between unpredictable and entertaining ... often both at the same time. I DO enjoy my Boys!

Yep. If only they weren't quite so loud, they'd be entertaining more people and meeting the pot less often.

 

[RCinNM]

This is the new and improved rooster flock thread! Come here to learn and talk about rooster flocks, give advice, or simply share your experience with rooster flocks! I will try to answer any questions about rooster flocks (and roosters in general), and I encourage others to do so as well!

If you already have a rooster flock, feel free to share some pictures of your roos! If you don't, but are interested in starting one, you should first check out my article, then ask any questions that you have on here.

My rooster flock article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/rooster-flocks.72998/ (if you have any suggestions, ideas, or complaints about my article, please comment and tell me).

The original rooster flock thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rooster-flocks.1174877/

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I have several roosters, but only one is nice to the hens. The others are mean to the hens and stress them out. Now I have the mean ones all together and the nice Roo has all the hen (around 60) to himself.

 

[MickWithChicks]

I have several roosters, but only one is nice to the hens. The others are mean to the hens and stress them out. Now I have the mean ones all together and the nice Roo has all the hen (around 60) to himself.

60 hens to himself! If you want fertile eggs, you won't have a very good hatch rate (likely a LOT of clears), but I'm sure your rooster won't mind

 

[RCinNM]

I buy and sell chickens and of course eggs. I haven’t decided on hatching any….yet. But I agree.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I just added some new information to the rooster flock article, and I’d like to add some more. Do any of you have any ideas? I can’t go into detail about things I don’t have personal experience with, but if there’s info someone thinks I should add, I can put it on the questions and answers section.
Also, if any of you have pictures of your rooster flock you’d like me to include in the article, I can add those (crediting you, of course).

 

[Cadag]

what would be the benefit with having a rooster flock vs. just butchering the roosters?

 

[MickWithChicks]

what would be the benefit with having a rooster flock vs. just butchering the roosters?

Some people treat their chickens as pets.

Kind of like asking someone why they'd keep male dogs alive together if they already have one or if they're not using them for breeding. Dogs are just as loud, way way way more needy, have maimed or killed way more people, and are a delicacy in some cultures.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

what would be the benefit with having a rooster flock vs. just butchering the roosters?

If your chickens are for meat/eggs only, there really is no benefit. Though I have heard that people will separate their grow out meat cockerels into bachelor pads before butchering them to keep the pressure off the hens.

 

[MickWithChicks]

If your chickens are for meat/eggs only, there really is no benefit. Though I have heard that people will separate their grow out meat cockerels into bachelor pads before butchering them to keep the pressure off the hens.

I know people who also separate them to ease pressure on their hens while they monitor features through to second year moult. Or to breed in or out certain features. Or just to have a spare or two of all their breeds.

There are plenty of reasons for sure, but I just like to watch roosters interact and be roosters. They look great and are very different to hens in their behaviours.

With that said, I've also donated excess roosters that weren't practical to keep to my zoo for their crocodiles. So it all comes down to practically.