Rooster or hen

[redinator]

You basically have two options, start a cockerel rescue and rehome the pullet or rehome at least two of the cockerels and get more pullets. One cockerel and one pullet don't make a flock. The male will breed her to exhaustion/illness/injury.

 

[Katelynhope]

How many hens to one rooster ? Thank you for your help

 

[redinator]

How many hens to one rooster ? Thank you for your help

That number varies by breed and the temperment of the individual cockerel. Most start at a minimum of 7 pullets/hens to 1 cockerel.

 

[redinator]

Do you have a preference as to which one you'll keep, if any?

 

[redinator]

Another option is rehome all the boys, get a few pullets to go with your current pullet and let them get to about year old, then get a rooster. If you only have pullets you don't need as many starting out.

Edit: If/when your hens go broody (want to hatch eggs) you can buy hatching eggs, pop them under her and grow you flock that way.

 

[Katelynhope]

Do you have a preference as to which one you'll keep, if any?

Most likely my white one any recommendations which one u would keep it is definitely the leader

 

[redinator]

Most likely my white one any recommendations which one u would keep it is definitely the leader

I keep the one that's the friendliest. Have other people come in your yard and see how they react. I never had trouble with mine, personally, but one of my males will attack strangers if I'm not in the yard with them. Don't assume that just because they accept you, they'll accept anyone.

Edit: I shouldn't have said never, they went through a hormonal phase starting around 12 weeks that lasted about two weeks. One of them tested/challenged me a few times, but when I stood my ground he decided to change his tone. He's the same one that will attack strangers.

 

[Katelynhope]

I keep the one that's the friendliest. Have other people come in your yard and see how they react. I never had trouble with mine, personally, but one of my males will attack strangers if I'm not in the yard with them. Don't assume that just because they accept you, they'll accept anyone.

Edit: I shouldn't have said never, they went through a hormonal phase starting around 12 weeks that lasted about two weeks. One of them tested/challenged me a few times, but when I stood my ground he decided to change his tone. He's the same one that will attack strangers.

They are all very friendly they let me pick them up all very chill. They hide when other people come around in trees

 

[redinator]

They are all very friendly they let me pick them up all very chill. They hide when other people come around in trees

Have you left the other people in the yard without you there?

Mine never went after anyone, until one day I had my son (he's 23 and everyone was unscaved) let them out when I was at an appointment.

My son had been in the yard with me several times helping build things, doing yard work etc. It never occured to me (or him) that the cockerels would go after him. My son told me about it, but I thought he was exaggerating, until I saw the security camera footage.

The cockerel tracked him all around the yard and when my son turned his back the cockerel lunged at him and hit him in the calf.

I've since taught my son to stand his ground and there's an uneasy truce, but if he attacks again, well . . . .

 

[ColoradoChicken89]

TBH finding a home for a rooster can be hard... sadly... Not saying it's impossible, if you do decide to go that route. Just don't be discouraged if it doesn't work out right away. There will be some people willing to take a rooster for a meat bird though...

As for personality wise with roosters, it can be hit or miss. Especially around like 18-20+ weeks (depending breed) when they really start becoming sexually active. It can sometimes trigger an "I'm now an asshole" mentality. Some you can seem to kinda at least manage, though others not as much? It kinda depends the rooster tbh, and only time will really tell. Though, most tend to go through a testing boundaries stage that kinda makes them hard to deal with at least for awhile at the very least. I think I've only seen 3 roosters (out of 100s) that stayed chill from chick/death without at least a few months of some wild behavior in there from time to time.

As for keeping multiple roosters with hens, I have seen it work. But like redinator said, generally it's because it's enough hens to go around (like 6-8 PER ROOSTER). I do have one friend that has 2 roosters and 5 hens, and it works for the most part, though she puts a lot of effort into "mental stiumulation" for the chickens, TONS of space, and she monitors them constantly. Basically, if the roosters start becoming an asshole, they have plenty of space to get away, and they have enough random stuff just kinda around their run that gets changed out that they have enough to explore to not want to breed the hens as much.

Sometimes they start over breeding though, pulling out tons of feathers, and fighting over girls... so she had to put a lot of planning into how to seperate without fully pulling anyone from the flock. She does this with a series of smaller "runs" that kinda line her original run, and she can kinda shoo them over there until they chill out.

It kinda depends how much work and effort you are willing to put in though tbh. Keeping the roosters happy and the hens not overly mated is a full time job.