Rooster/Hen ratio

[farmgirl1995]

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If I make a bachelor pen will they fight?

 

[Cowgirl71]

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If I make a bachelor pen will they fight?

I did that last winter to fatten up 15 roosters. Made the big mistake of putting it right next to the pullet pen.

A BSL pullet flew over the seven foot wall into their pen and was in there for up to two hours (she flew in sometime after I collected eggs and before I locked up the coop). That evening I went to lock up the coop and saw her huddled in the corner, so I picked her up and put her back. She was a bloody feather-missing mess, could barely walk, and kept blinking the blood out of her eyes. For the first few days I kept an eye on her to make sure no one pecked her, and a couple weeks later she was fine. She looks completely fine now, and I just saw her in the nest box yesterday.

Moral of the story? Make sure the bachelor pen is roofed or a ways away from your hens.

The roosters were fine with each other, except after a month of being together two of the roos constantly fought very hard with each other, to the point of very bloody combs all the time. The other 13 roos got along pretty well, with the occasional mild ten second fight now and then.

 

[bburn]

My two cents worth.

Make sure the run for the roosters is where they can't see the hens. Separate out any that fight because they will keep fighting and it is ugly....especially when you have raised them from chicks.

I made the mistake of buying straight run chicks. My ratio of hens to roosters was equally as bad as yours and as soon as my DH left to work out of state, and me up here by myself, they started fighting. Smart girl that I am moved five of the worst into a chicken tractor where they could see the other and where they proceeded to beat the heck out of one. He did nto move for 10 minutes....I thought he was dead. It made me so mad I turned them out into the garden. It was my fault and their nature. The day that one self appointed rooster that thought he was the flock protecter from the 'outside' side stepped me and dropped his wing I made my mind up that I had to do what needed to be done.

The next day I sent 7 to freezer camp. The rest were rehomed...finally.

I am now left with two alpha roos and one cochin roo ( we think, he does not crow or have roo behavior but harms none). I built a second run for the 'other' roo and have started a new flock for him.

Trust me, it is not worth it to have all those roo's. It is not good for the hens. The minute I put the other alpha roo in the other pen the flock settled down and started laying and you can feel the peace. That is worth everything.

 

[farmgirl1995]

I could never kill my babies But my dad comes home from a hunting trip tonight. I'll enlist him to help me build a bachelor pad. We have less hens now because my dogs killed one. We're building them a pen now too

 

[Liamm_1]

wow interesting thread!
We have 6 chickens that we got as straight run chicks. I'm pretty sure we have 3 roos/3 hens, and they are 11 weeks old. Aside from the usual pecking order, there is nothing worng...yet.
I guess my question is, when will I need to separate the roos from the hens, at what age? I was figuring that at about 16 weeks, the roos would be ready for the freezer, but will I need to separate them before then?
I've been thinking of building another coop/run next to my exisiting, to house meat birds in the future. If I do that now, can I place the 3 roos in there until the 16 week age, or will they be fine with the hens until 16 weeks? thanks!

 

[Liamm_1]

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I understand the part about they are your babies, I've gotten attached to mine as well. Part of raising chickens, I have found, is having a plan of what to do with the roosters, beforehand. So, what was your plan when you got them?
I'd guess that keeping 12 roosters together would cause mayhem. I'd suggest as others have, that you keep one roo, pick your favorite, or the one with the best demeanor. For me, if I could keep one (I can't and I have 3), I don't know which I'd choose, the prettiest or the biggest lol.
I'm sure your dad would help you to process the remaining roos for the freezer, if you are able to do that. If not, I don't think you'll want to see them having bloody fights to the death. So either rehome all but 1, or enjoy lots of delicious chicken dinners, thanks to your dedication in the raising of them

good luck to you with what you decide!

 

[farmgirl1995]

I made the mistake of getting a straight run order. I knew there would be roosters but I thought 3 or 5. That would have been perfect for the 26 layer hens I bought in addition to the straight run order. But now theres more roosters than hens. I'll have to talk to my dad and see if he knows of anyone who will take them. I just couldn't do that. Even if I did, I've been a vegetarian for well over a year so I would't eat 'em.

 

[HorizonSon]

Those young cockerals should make for some excellent baked, fried, bbq'd or whatever chicken! Yum!... yeah; separate them and start culling those least desired. Remember; cull out bad traits. Don't be tempted with, "Oh, that one is big enough to eat!" If you want fast and large birds, you may want to hold that one back for fertile eggs.

Here's to happy hens!

 

[Liamm_1]

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Bump in hopes someone can answer this, thanks!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

When we butchered some roosters I didn't want to do it, but I had like 30 roosters too many, I wanted to kill as few as possible so we did a 8 hens to 1 roo ratio.
I've also heard of people with a 6 hens to 1 roo ratio -