Rooster Management

[bigzio]

While everyone's flock situation is different for all.... this is all about giving your bachelor pen some freedom from their constant confinement …. nothing is more fun than, either keeping your hens in for the day, or waiting until they go in later in the day, and giving the boys their freedom from their confinement for the remaining daylight hours.....it's all about the best back yard options for the flock.
It truly makes a difference in flock happiness.... just sayin.

bigz

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

All confined animals need time to run on a regular basis.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

IMHO, it requires multiple housing and penning options.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

We are just setting up a bachelor pad coop, and we have a hen coop/run about 50 yards away. We sometimes let the hens out with supervision in the evenings, but haven’t since we set up the rooster coop as I’m afraid that the hens will visit the boys and get them fighting. I’d like to eventually let the roosters out with supervision, but again I’m afraid that they would go to the hen coop and then fight. Do you have this problem?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

We are just setting up a bachelor pad coop, and we have a hen coop/run about 50 yards away. We sometimes let the hens out with supervision in the evenings, but haven’t since we set up the rooster coop as I’m afraid that the hens will visit the boys and get them fighting. I’d like to eventually let the roosters out with supervision, but again I’m afraid that they would go to the hen coop and then fight. Do you have this problem?

I haven't had more fighting if hens were close to the cock housing than otherwise. However, I think that may be breed dependent. What breed/s are your birds?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I haven't had more fighting if hens were close to the cock housing than otherwise. However, I think that may be breed dependent. What breed/s are your birds?

Black Copper Marans, Ameraucana, silkie, and Easter egger Roos. They were just placed together yesterday, and the Ameraucana is attacking all of the others and not letting them alone after they submit. I’ve placed the Ameraucana in jail in the pen for now, hoping that they will get used to each other. However, I suspect that the Ameraucana won’t work with the others and will need his own pen. It’s rained and rained and rained here - boys and everything everywhere are a muddy mess. Poor silkie is often being “bred” by BCM and is an incredible mess. Plan to wash the silkie at dusk and return to other roosters in the coop.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Bless you for trying to work this out but unless you have separate buildings and pens of hens housing each of those breeds, you don't need all those cocks. Several of your boys need to be processed.
Things will be much more peaceful and your feed bill will drop.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Black Copper Marans, Ameraucana, silkie, and Easter egger Roos. They were just placed together yesterday, and the Ameraucana is attacking all of the others and not letting them alone after they submit. I’ve placed the Ameraucana in jail in the pen for now, hoping that they will get used to each other. However, I suspect that the Ameraucana won’t work with the others and will need his own pen. It’s rained and rained and rained here - boys and everything everywhere are a muddy mess. Poor silkie is often being “bred” by BCM and is an incredible mess. Plan to wash the silkie at dusk and return to other roosters in the coop.

Sounds like a bad prison movie that I wouldn't even want to see the ending of.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Bless you for trying to work this out but unless you have separate buildings and pens of hens housing each of those breeds, you don't need all those cocks. Several of your boys need to be processed.
Things will be much more peaceful and your feed bill will drop.

Will keep it in mind thanks.

 

[Shadrach]

I really don't understand this rooster flock business.
For me at least part of the joy of having roosters is that they live with the hens.
Sure they have the odd scrap. Nobody dies.