Rooster Flocks!

[TheTwoRoos]

My chicks are only 3 weeks old, they were hatched by my number one broody, she's been doing such a great job from the beginning. The difference in feathering is so distinct that I may venture to say 3 will be pullets and 4 will be cockerels (I hope I'm wrong and it's the other way around). So I'm preparing my "rooster yard" for when the day comes and I have to do some moving around. I don't like to keep cockerels with the pullets and hens unless they behave but for what I have read, they rarely do. I might get lucky and have good roosters

As long as no serious injury is made I wouldn't worry about the rough mating.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

As far as I have known spurs come in around 4 or 5 months,some are late bloomers.

So far, all my boys may have starts of spurs, but none have gotten long yet. Maybe like 1/4 to 1/2 inch, look like nubs kinda. Guess they could be sharper than I realize. They are 9 month old FBCM and 11 month old SFH. As far as standard growth patterns none have been late bloomers... Could actually identify them as male very early on.

But It's a never ending learning process for me! And just when I think I have it down, a curve ball comes my way. hey batter batter, swing!

Also most boys I've processed have been 6-8 months and not much except nubs also, different breeds. But maybe it's a different expectation of what spurs coming in means? I guess I was thinking of them as full length with my previous statement.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Oh yeah. One of my boys is 10 months in their only probably little less then an inch,and their fairly sharp.I do think it depends on the rooster.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

As long as no serious injury is made I wouldn't worry about the rough mating.

That's interesting... most people I know don't like to be ruffed up or see their hens get that way either.

I mean a chunk was taken out of 1 girls comb. She bled a little and it wasn't serious. But she will never get that chunk of her comb back. Maybe it wasn't on purpose. But especially if you have more boys than girls or an even #.. you might not be around when it becomes serious enough.

I understand we all have differing perspectives and some young cockerels should get a chance to mature and learn some manners. But there is zero room for gang assault 9since they don't have penises I won't call it rape. But ya, I separate the boys out until they can be schooled.

Obviously roosters that have matured and proven themselve's do a little dance, serenade, treat call and take NO for an answer sometimes instead of always taking what he wants and beating the hen into submission with an extra peck to her head on his way off just to confirm that he is above her... Nope, not anthropamorphizing. Just not tollerant.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

usually roosters wont grab the combs they grab the head,I wouldn't keep a rooster who causes injury.None of my hens have been injured so I just let nature take its course,its how they repopulate.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

AS I said before if it becomes gang mating you will need to downsize,they will kill if itgets out of control.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

usually roosters wont grab the combs they grab the head,I wouldn't keep a rooster who causes injury.None of my hens have been injured so I just let nature take its course,its how they repopulate.

That instance was a learning process for me.. about not having my stag pen done in time and how they can suddenly start mating or other changes over night and will before 16 weeks in MANY cases. Trust me, I had plenty of warning. Projects just seem to take longer than anticipated.

At what age (approximately) do you think the boys have all their cards on the table? Or in other words their long term behavior/attitude set? Towards the hens, humans, and say other young, integrated until processing day, stags? Obviously the stags do reach a point where they may be willing to challenge the dominant roo in the pen and my guess would be less dominant roos before that if you have more than 1 keeper roo. And in reality the keeper roo may even teach the young stags some manners I suppose. (Thought it would be nice to cirle back to rooster flocks/stag pens )

There are so many possibilities and variables IMO that it's hard to predict the long term outcome of keeping a rooster flock (or any flock really). For example.. will you continue to say hatch or buy straight run and be integrating new ones until your at max capacity? Only keep what you have, buy pullets and allow space for future oops boys? be a softee and take in other people's cockerels until you can't? Provide a separate pen for a bully who can't live in peace with the other stags? How many pens are too many? Is there any end?

I will say that my boys don't get the same amount of time spent with them as my hens do. But I like all my animals to be treated equal. So with that time exception, i care for the boys the same, good food, good pasture, safe housing. So far other than my lap boy, none have been aggressive towards me but they have varying levels of aggression towards each other...

So another idea for keeping a stag pen/cock flock might be a time out box/kennel! Yes, I like that idea. For the boy who suddenly decides he's on one. A chance to cool his jets for the aggressor, the one who is relentlessly chasing. Those things don't usually go on for too long but sometimes I do feel the need to intervene and can see how a look but don't touch *might* help the aggressor live another day and remain a part of the flock.

I get what you're saying though, and I mostly let nature take it's course as well. Just not where I messed up or if it's something that really bothers me. And that may change as I learn and grow as well. Hopefully I will be better prepared!

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I have noticed one thing about my rooster flock, its that the roosters actually make friends. Huckleberry and Finny, who are brothers, are always hanging out together and when they fight, they only do a small squabble. I've also noticed that tiny little Frosty (bottom of the pecking order) is friends with Griffin, the big alpha rooster.

 

[Whittni]

I once bought a Brahma rooster from a yard sale for $5. He lived with 24 other light Brahmas, all identical to him...only the rooster I bought had a fallen over comb. They all got along great from what I understand. They never got the chance to see hens ever. The flock owner just ordered male chicks to raise for meat I suppose.

That rooster was awfully docile, the best one I ever had the pleasure of raising. D'awww that brought back cute memories for me

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I have noticed one thing about my rooster flock, its that the roosters actually make friends. Huckleberry and Finny, who are brothers, are always hanging out together and when they fight, they only do a small squabble. I've also noticed that tiny little Frosty (bottom of the pecking order) is friends with Griffin, the big alpha rooster.

And some roosters have it out for certain roosters. I've got a big guy who has it out for my little OEGB, Flash. So I have to make sure to keep them apart. I have others too, same thing. I have around 60 roos, I just split them from two flocks to four rooster flocks.