Rooster Flocks!

[Abriana]

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
View attachment 557008

Hey @RoostersAreAwsome! Don't the roosters just eat feed and not contribute anything? I would like to do a rooster flock, because i feel terrible sending my cockerels off to a certain death, but don't they just eat all the feed and not give anything back?

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Hey @RoostersAreAwsome! Don't the roosters just eat feed and not contribute anything? I would like to do a rooster flock, because i feel terrible sending my cockerels off to a certain death, but don't they just eat all the feed and not give anything back?

Are you asking why you should keep a rooster flock?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Hey @RoostersAreAwsome! Don't the roosters just eat feed and not contribute anything? I would like to do a rooster flock, because i feel terrible sending my cockerels off to a certain death, but don't they just eat all the feed and not give anything back?

So do dogs and cats.

 

[Frutfarm]

We have 4 bantam cockerels(10 weeks) and 9 bantam pullets. So far, they are great together. We had 2 males:3 females in the past and they were fine, but the roosters had to be kept in pins separate from each other overnight. We have one large coop and they free range mostly on our immediate acre(we have 10.5 acres). What's your experience with bantam roos? I have no idea what breeds or mixes of breeds, but outside of one with feathered legs, id guess game bantam. Old English for some and American for others. They've been crowing awhile, which helped us realize this all black bird(combs, wattles, beak, legs, and feathers) was indeed a boy. I've even seen one trying his hand at mating the pullets! I'd love input. I don't see us creating a separate roo area, so I'm hoping they continue to get along. Also, we have 3 standard sized 3 week old cockerels with their 20 ladies. How do the banties and standards do with each other?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

We have 4 bantam cockerels(10 weeks) and 9 bantam pullets. So far, they are great together. We had 2 males:3 females in the past and they were fine, but the roosters had to be kept in pins separate from each other overnight. We have one large coop and they free range mostly on our immediate acre(we have 10.5 acres). What's your experience with bantam roos? I have no idea what breeds or mixes of breeds, but outside of one with feathered legs, id guess game bantam. Old English for some and American for others. They've been crowing awhile, which helped us realize this all black bird(combs, wattles, beak, legs, and feathers) was indeed a boy. I've even seen one trying his hand at mating the pullets! I'd love input. I don't see us creating a separate roo area, so I'm hoping they continue to get along. Also, we have 3 standard sized 3 week old cockerels with their 20 ladies. How do the banties and standards do with each other?

IME experience they will all get along fine as long as their personalities mesh. Size isn't an issue. One of my OEGBs and my Marans cockerel occasionally battle but nothing hard core; no one has been hurt and it is not constant. Mainly they are all young enough (except for my one 8 month old Red Pyle OEGB) that they are trying to establish a hierarchy of who gets first dibs at the girls. I have troublemaker cockerels now and again, but for the most part it is independent of breed or LF v Bantam. The exception is bantam cochins; those guys seem to always be jerks for some reason.

Since right now I have too many males for the number of sexually mature females, I throw the males out to free range first thing in the morning and the girls don't get let out until the afternoon when everyone gets home. That gives the boys more room to spread out and keeps the girls from being trapped and chased and ganged up on.

 

[catandmilkart]

Here's a question... Can one keep a flock of ONLY roosters? No hens around at all? I have 3 roos less than 6 months old and they get along great (So far...) I live in the city so I cant keep them; and then a gentleman offered to take all three, but they would be his only 3 chickens.

I worry that my 3 boys will become aggressive if they remain together, but what if they didn't have any ladies to fight over? Can there be a rooster monastery?

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Here's a question... Can one keep a flock of ONLY roosters? No hens around at all? I have 3 roos less than 6 months old and they get along great (So far...) I live in the city so I cant keep them; and then a gentleman offered to take all three, but they would be his only 3 chickens.

I worry that my 3 boys will become aggressive if they remain together, but what if they didn't have any ladies to fight over? Can there be a rooster monastery?

Yes, you can keep an all-rooster flock with no hens around. It might even work better because if the roosters can't see or hear the hens they tend to fight less.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

So do dogs and cats.

Not here...they have jobs. Lol

I like the idea of have a flock of bachelors for breeding purposes. Don't think it's possible right now, but maybe sometime. Nice to see others interested as well!

 

[Frutfarm]

IME experience they will all get along fine as long as their personalities mesh. Size isn't an issue. One of my OEGBs and my Marans cockerel occasionally battle but nothing hard core; no one has been hurt and it is not constant. Mainly they are all young enough (except for my one 8 month old Red Pyle OEGB) that they are trying to establish a hierarchy of who gets first dibs at the girls. I have troublemaker cockerels now and again, but for the most part it is independent of breed or LF v Bantam. The exception is bantam cochins; those guys seem to always be jerks for some reason.

Since right now I have too many males for the number of sexually mature females, I throw the males out to free range first thing in the morning and the girls don't get let out until the afternoon when everyone gets home. That gives the boys more room to spread out and keeps the girls from being trapped and chased and ganged up on.

Thank you so much for the input! I'm feeling pretty encouraged that I may be able to keep my gorgeous boys! All 4 Banty cockerels are so unique that I don't know which ones I'd be able to part with if it came to that. Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul play squabble every morning, but it's light and maybe they just like to reaffirm which is the dominant guy that day. They snuggle each other just about every night. Same with my other 2(Batman and Rascal)-except they almost never even pretend squabble. They hang with their one female, like their own 3 bird flock.

 

[rlhagan56]

Last year I had 11 Silkie babies shipped. 9 were cockerals. Kept them in a big run and coop together from the time I got them at about 2 weeks old. They fought and scuffled until I just gave them each away! Other breeds the extra roosters just go visit the freezer farm, I've never had any get along together.