Rooster overload!

[Jennyhen890]

Hi everyone,

I am new to keeping chickens and bantams.

It’s a long one sorry, here’s some context-

We moved to somewhere with some land so I was happily planning my flock when a well meaning friend dropped an incubator on us along with some chicken and bantam eggs from their farm, I was excited and gladly accepted.
I stupidly hadn’t researched the roostern ratio when hatching eggs and let myself and children get attached to our 9 chucks.
The 3 chickens were an autosex breed so I knew I had two rooster and one hen, was hoping I’d get lucky and have all bantam hens… foolish me, finally managed to sex them and I have the following in my mixed flock of 9;
2 cream legbar roosters,
1 cream legbar hen,
4 bantam roosters,
2 bantam hens.

They free range on a few acres.

They are all very friendly and tame and get along very well at the moment. They do square up to each other often, but the eldest legbar (he hatched one week before the others) holds the dominant position. How long til hormones start going crazy?

I need advice please,

This flock is planned as my egg flock, I’m planning on adding to it, any roosters I hatch from now on will be in the pot. So how many chicken/ bantam hens should I add to this flock? Or am I kidding myself thinking so many roosters can live happily together?
Also, I’d appreciate any suggestions on what to add- more bantams? More chickens? I’m definitely going to add olive eggers and black copper marrans for egg colour. Also, I’m only choosing docile breeds (I do realise not all will be calm).

All suggestions welcome, thank you in advance

 

[fluffycrow]

Having multiple males in a free range setting can totally be done, a lot of people on this website have setups that are excellent for that, and there are many "success stories" to read.

You certainly need more females, even if you only keep two males. You'd need a lot more coops, ideally enough so that each male has his own.

As you can see, this is a lot of work, and something that might not work out in the end. Especially given you're a beginner keeper, I'd urge you to keep just one male.

How old are your birds? Sounds like they've yet to mature sexually. I'd be sending away 4 out of the 6 cockerels before they reach that point; keep two for longer and see which one treats the pullets better, so which one they prefer as well. Keep that one

 

[GlicksChicks]

If you do not want to get rid of extra roosters you could form a bachelor flock of the roosters you choose not to be with the hens and put them in a seperated area from your hens.

With the amount of hens you have, it would be best to have 1 rooster with them when the roosters and hens reach maturity so you can avoid overbreeding and brutal fights.

 

[Jennyhen890]

Having multiple males in a free range setting can totally be done, a lot of people on this website have setups that are excellent for that, and there are many "success stories" to read.

You certainly need more females, even if you only keep two males. You'd need a lot more coops, ideally enough so that each male has his own.

As you can see, this is a lot of work, and something that might not work out in the end. Especially given you're a beginner keeper, I'd urge you to keep just one male.

How old are your birds? Sounds like they've yet to mature sexually. I'd be sending away 4 out of the 6 cockerels before they reach that point; keep two for longer and see which one treats the pullets better, so which one they prefer as well. Keep that one

Hi Fluffycrow, sorry I forgot to put ages. They are 10 weeks, and the main roo is 11 weeks. All have been together since hatching, and have been free ranging for the past couple of weeks.
I’ve read that they reach maturity at around 16 weeks, is this right from your experience? And I’m guessing I need to have this resolved before they reach maturity? Thank you

 

[Jennyhen890]

If you do not want to get rid of extra roosters you could form a bachelor flock of the roosters you choose not to be with the hens and put them in a seperated area from your hens.

With the amount of hens you have, it would be best to have 1 rooster with them when the roosters and hens reach maturity so you can avoid overbreeding and brutal fights.

Hi GlicksChicks, I definitely wouldn’t be mum of the year if I got rid of any of the roosters but it’s not out of the question. I like the idea of the bachelor flock and will be looking into this as my first option. Would the hens need to be completely out of sight? And should this be done ASAP? Or can I give them a few more weeks free ranging together? Thank you

 

[GlicksChicks]

Hi GlicksChicks, I definitely wouldn’t be mum of the year if I got rid of any of the roosters but it’s not out of the question. I like the idea of the bachelor flock and will be looking into this as my first option. Would the hens need to be completely out of sight? And should this be done ASAP? Or can I give them a few more weeks free ranging together? Thank you

It would be best if the hens were not visible to the roosters, because there is a chance they could try to fight to get over to them and injure themselves in the process.

Keep an eye on their temperament. If the roosters start to spar like they want to hurt eachother, it is definitely time to seperate. Also, once the hens become mature and start laying, the roosters will inevitably start fighting for mating rights, so it is best to do it before the hens are mature.

How old are your chickens?

 

[Jennyhen890]

It would be best if the hens were not visible to the roosters, because there is a chance they could try to fight to get over to them and injure themselves in the process.

Keep an eye on their temperament. If the roosters start to spar like they want to hurt eachother, it is definitely time to seperate. Also, once the hens become mature and start laying, the roosters will inevitably start fighting for mating rights, so it is best to do it before the hens are mature.

How old are your chickens?

They are 10/11 weeks old so I think I need to get a move on with this bachelor pad.
Thanks for your advice so far, I need a good re-think on my flock plans now, as I also have 14 6 day old Orpington’s which I’m planning on breeding for meet and eggs.

 

[GlicksChicks]

They are 10/11 weeks old so I think I need to get a move on with this bachelor pad.
Thanks for your advice so far, I need a good re-think on my flock plans now, as I also have 14 6 day old Orpington’s which I’m planning on breeding for meet and eggs.

The Orpingtons will need their own breeding pen as well to prevent cross breeding. What I plan to do is have my breeding birds in a pen during the warm season, when they breed, and have them out with my mixed flock during winter since there will be no egg hatching at that time.

 

[Mrs. K]

How old are your children? You might not be mum of the year if they get attacked. Cockerels tend to attack children first, then women and then men if they become human aggressive. Children six years and under can take the attack in the face.

This forum is full of stories where the darling became the nightmare in an instant. That is probably not quite true, but inexperienced people vastly underestimate the violence of a cockerel, and do not pick up on the cues that he is thinking of taking you on.

You and the kids are attached to chicks, and they are not going to stay like they are now. The big problem with cockerels is how they are acting now is NOT an indicator of how they will act tomorrow. They are not like puppies and kittens in which if you make good bonds, they make life long friends. Once the hormones hit, that darling chick that was never afraid to approach you and sit on your lap, can become a nightmare flogging the tar out of you.

Not all of them will become like this, but a lot will. Especially cockerels raised with just flock mates. Older birds, thump some manners into them, but even a multi-generational flock is not 100%. Roosters are a crap shoot and a lot of them do not turn out. The more cockerels you have, the greater the chance of it not working out.

Sometimes it works for a while, sometimes they fight each other, sometimes they make the pullets life hell. If you have cockerels you need a plan B..C..D set up and ready to go. A way to protect your family, a way to separate fighting birds, and a way to protect your pullets.

Sometimes bachelor pads work, sometimes they don't, or will for a while and then not. It is just a crapshoot.

Set up some dog crates, or kennels, a long handled fish net and leather gloves at hand can help separate fighting birds. They don't call it cock fighting for nothing.

IMO you should not plan on keeping any of the cockerels, and if this is your first year, I would recommend getting some experience and just keep hens. You have years to work into all the aspects of this hobby. Roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of kids.

Mrs K

 

[LaFleche]

Your pullets will only be ready for male attention when they are starting to lay which will usually be at least 2-3 months later than cockerels start to feel their hormones.

Until then they need protection from the constant and often brutal attacks/mating intents of their male flock mates. Gang raping occurs quite often and can lead to serious injuries and even death of the pullet. The pullets will try to escape and hide thus starving themselves as the cockerels will hog the feeders to immediately throw themselves at any pullet that tries to eat from the feeders.

It is best to separate the pullets from the cockerels from the age of about 9 weeks so they will not be chased down relentlessly, but are left in peace to grow out.

With only two bantam pullets it is best to keep just one bantam cockerel and rehome or process the others.
Keep the one who is respectful of you and your children and will keep his distance.