Rooster Flocks!

[RoostersAreAwesome]

So I think that more people need to know about rooster flocks. I think a rooster flock is a good way to keep those "extra" roosters.....

All you need to do is make sure there aren't any bullies, and if there is you might want a bigger pen for them.

Here's a pic of my flock of 5 roosters

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I have a stag pen where I keep all my boys once they are big enough to be kept on one side of the fence and definitely NO later than when they have started trying to mount my pullets. Of course this is mostly while they are growing into edible size. But I keep my breeding roos there to. Which by the way aren't rooster until at least 1 year old.

It does not matter how much room you have... they will relentlesly chase and harrass, if that's what they choose to do. So it really does depend on the individual. By the time my younger boys get integrated with the older they have already been seeing each other through the fence. But were not raised together.

My boys can see my hens... which makes the older ones pace the fence all day long and go into a tizzy when a girl comes out singing. Reason I haven't made it blinded is because I can't afford to lose the sunlight on the other side... girls in the am and boys in the pm. Actually, I guess there is also just a wire barrier between the 2 coops on the inside as well.

If I weren't eating or breeding, I would not keep any extras. The boys that are there for the long term deserve some peace and the constant challenge of up and coming cockerels might not bring that. Plus seriously who need the competetive crowing?!

I do enjoy having boys. But it isn't in my budget to let all the extras just hang out and muck up the pasture if they don't have a future purpose here. I figure it cost me $3/month to feed a hen, so a little more than that for a roo... especially since the hens go forage all day and the boys just pace the fence thinking about getting some tail.

Allthough boys are pretty to look at and fun to watch, they are livestock to me. The one I thought was going to be a pet because he was so happy to hang out with me all day, quickly became demon spawn when he reached mating age. Though he still lives his days are VERY numbered... this chicken mama does not like being attacked. No other boy that wasn't friendly when young has ever even looked cross eyed at me *yet*.

There are scuffles in my stag pen. Usually around 8-10 occupants with 144 sq feet in the coop and 1500+ sq feet run. It usually is not serious. But if I see something last too long I intervene that day and if it continues then someone usually gets processed sooner than later. Providing plenty of visual barriers helps and I have extra feeders.

Don't get me wrong, I think roosters are cool and my neighbors love having them so far, even though they start crowing at 3:30 am EVERY day. We are far enough away, I guess. If you can afford to feed them and enjoy having them... It's a great idea! Especially if you can help out someone who really does not want their boy to go to freezer camp.

Blocking the line of sight but still having sound will probably make the boys try just as hard to get to them.. maybe even crow a little more to let the girls know they are there. That's 1 way they compete for the ladies. Hard to say really, things are so fluid with all the chickens having different personalities. 2 of my boys line up and stick their heads through as far as possible and a couple of girls will go over there and clean their waddles and chat with them.

Also, my roosters do not usually bother very young chicks. They are more concerned with checking out the ladies. And if I have a roo with the ladies they also do not mess with chicks because they know they *might* be the father and want to protect their offspring.

Some breeds are friendlier to their coopmates than others. My Marans are quite fiesty while my faverolles were quite docile.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Usually if I have a roo with the girls, he could care less who is on the other side of the fence as far as fence fighting goes. He just goes where the girls go and stands watch. Curious to see if it is different for you.

Roosters are territorial.. so the boy who challenges me knows he isn't allowed in my space and waits for me to leave to try and take over my part of the yard. But when he sees me coming he heads away. They are very keen. He stands and stares when I'm not looking and when he sees me look at him he immediately starts doing busy work!

I would disagree that cockerels get their tail feathers last. I would say most often they come in at exactly the same rate. However on occassion, I get one that has no tail growth... that's ALWAYS been a boy so far. And this most recent batch is actually 1 with a speckeled sussex boy that had the slow tail, which did NOT lie. Funny that it's the same breed. Mine came from the feed store as sexed pullets.

How old are your chicks now? In my breeders, the slow tail is a trait I cull for... although it is kind of a convenient tool! Some breeders may actually select for the slow tail.

I hope I will be able to follow your updates... haven't gotten the new format down completely yet. And flock dynamics are so fluid it's an ever learning hobby. My current flock is 60+ including all genders and ages. So far my personal hatching is not even close to 50/50 boys/girls. More like 85% boys in my Swedish Flowers!

Hope my Marans hatch out more girls than that.

Also, even if you aren't able... there is no shame in letting them feed someone else's family. I'm a 40ish year old lady and my daughter just turned 18. While we don't enjoy processing the boys, we do accept that if we are eating chicken it will be raised AND processed humanely. We knew we would have to do something if we were going to hatch unsexed chicks (never mind the mistaken genders from the feed store, which I've had at least 5). Our boys are not panicked and fearing for their lives but calm and quiet. And we are honored to know where our food came from. It is a difficult transition and we worked towards it for a long time openly discussing how it would go and our fears and such. I am a bit emotional and love animals. Didn't think I could be successful. Worried about my daughter who has always been sensitive. Surprised neither one of us had an emotional breakdown! Please don't take it as I think you should do what I do... I am just sharing. My hubby who avidly shoots does not participate in the culling. But he was elated to smell actual chicken cooking in the house how he remembered from his childhood.. since we do heritage breed birds and not cornish cross (which is every super market bird and even a lot of the ones from the farmer's market), the difference is tremendous in flavor between a bird that grows 6 months instead of 8 weeks. Again, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable... Just maybe encourage you to "enjoy" the fruits of your labor!

I respect the decicion of those who cannot, as well! We are all individuals.

Good luck, having more turn out to be pullets than you think!

 

[hannahsflock]

Such a good idea! I always find it so difficult to part with my boys. I've always had a soft spot for roosters for some reason.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Okay but isn't it a waste of money on food and care? And a waste of space? Business wise..

If you had an egg laying business or something like that I might say yes but lots of people just have chickens for pets so in that case, no. Although even if you had a business, roosters can be excellent protectors and very valuable. I've read stories where the roosters all teamed up and herded the girls to safety and also formed a wall, something that couldn't be done with one rooster. So I guess it depends on why you have chickens and your philosophies on pets etc. Cause most dogs and cats don't do any work either and eat up feed so why is a rooster different? IF you have it for that purpose (pets). Cause I know some people don't have pet dogs and cats either and think every animal should have a job, which is fine, but I guess it just depends on your outlook. Sorry for the novel haha

Also I just realized, even if people maybe make the cats and dogs work or don't have them, some also have parrots, etc. And they're really the same as a rooster, eat a lot and don't contribute anything, except roosters are a bit bigger

 

[aldarita]

Thank you for sharing the idea of having a rooster flock. I had a flock of 2 in a coop with a run and yard. I had to disband it because one of them became aggressive towards me. Right now I have 7 chicks that are three weeks old,and I am planning to keep the cockerels by themselves so I'm in the process of expanding their yard so they will have more space to roam around. I am crossing my fingers in hopes that they all will get along fine.
By the way the pic of your roosters is fantastic, they are all gorgeous, mine are the same breed but I know they will be beautiful birds.
How long have you have them leaving together?

 

[CuzChickens]

I had a rooster flock that consisted of 3, and they fought horribly, I shut down that party.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Oh OK. Do you keep your extra roos for backup, or because you're a softy like me? I really love my roosters.

I love my Roos! I keep them because they are MY pets, and if I gave them away I wouldn't be sure if they went to a good home... also there's so much unwanted roosters out there that need a home.... lol I am a softy.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Naughty roosters! They're supposed to roost in their pen...

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Huckleberry and Finny are best friends.