Rooster Flocks!

[MasAhora]

I am interested in learning more, my 2 cockerels are so far submissive to an older cockerel...I'm not sure I want to cull them just yet (I want a back up rooster next spring -I'm going into winter - so far no temperament issues with either). They're with 14 hens/pullets, several acres to roam and the older dominant cockerel only ever sleeps outside the coop with his devoted pullet 'Goldfish'. He won the fight with his hatch mate cockerel a couple of months ago, who then died from blood loss (we did not realize that where the injury was located would result in death- he seemed fine and the blood was drying up after we separated them) however since that incident there has been no aggression.

Also I am not that experienced with culling to eat, so I really prefer to do 4-6 at a time; too hard taking one out, toooooo personal if ya know what I mean?!

PS I finally figured out how to make those emoticons disappear...writing with that lot jumping around was weird.

 

[CuzChickens]

I have friend who has a rooster flock of about 24 roosters, 11 of them previously mine, they get along pretty well, and I have 1 cockeral with a vitamin deficiency that is a big brother to little chicks, when he was three weeks old, I put him in with 128 day olds, and it took him a bit, but he settled down, now he is twelve weeks old and is in my grow out pen with 17 5 week olds, and getting along famously with them.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

When I had 3 roosters and one hen (straight run issue you mentioned) it was interesting that she never had a problem. None of the roosters would let the others have her. If one mounted the others would come running to knock him off. It was pretty funny.

When I had too many boys... ya, they come running to knock eachother off and hold the girls down while they took turns!

ETA: There was NOTHING funny about it.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

I cannot seem to get my roosters to do "Buddy,Buddy".I had 4 cockerels who pretty much did their own thing because they grew up together.The oldest one eventually banished my current cockerel,but luckily we downsized soon.

 

[aldarita]

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

 

[catsnchickslady]

I forgot to ask... Why keep a separate roo flock?

I would have one because I have too many roosters for the number of hens I have. I like the roosters, they are pretty and intersting to watch and as long as they aren't mean to me, I would like to keep them.

 

[catsnchickslady]

When I had too many boys... ya, they come running to knock eachother off and hold the girls down while they took turns!

ETA: There was NOTHING funny about it.

The first chicks I had were from a fiend 2 turned out to be male and 2 female. They did fine for a long time them all of a sudden (after they got spurs) the both jumped on my hen called Cookie while she was in her nesting container and tore out a ton of feathers and had cut her up. Had to take her out of that pen. She healed up finally but I took Busy out too because I was afraid they would d o the same to her. Now the two roosters are together with no hens and they never fight and they are nice to me. I wasnt happy at all about poor Cookie tho.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

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

All of my roos are great with their hens... The hens might get over-mated if there are too many roosters to hens, but other than that, most roos are pretty good to their hens.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The first chicks I had were from a fiend 2 turned out to be male and 2 female. They did fine for a long time them all of a sudden (after they got spurs) the both jumped on my hen called Cookie while she was in her nesting container and tore out a ton of feathers and had cut her up. Had to take her out of that pen. She healed up finally but I took Busy out too because I was afraid they would d o the same to her. Now the two roosters are together with no hens and they never fight and they are nice to me. I wasnt happy at all about poor Cookie tho.

Wow, spurs don't come until after 1 year old. Boys are usually vigorous about mating much earlier than that. Them boys would have taken a nice, long, hot bath with aromatic veggies if they did that on my watch! I'm protective about my hens.

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

Even good rooster, which they are not until after 1 year old, will over mate hens if the ratios aren't correct.

What is your version of a rooster behaving or misbehaving?

 

[TheTwoRoos]

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