Rooster overload!

[Jennyhen890]

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

Thank you for the reality check Mrs K. My children are young so this is definitely of concern to me. I’m setting up a bachelor pad to start with. You have given me some serious things to consider. Thank you

 

[Jennyhen890]

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.

Thank you for your reply LaFleche. I’m separating them and going to try a bachelor coop for the boys. When I decide which rooster I am keeping- at what age should I put him back with the girls? And I’m guessing this will be a slow process? Side by side enclosure etc? I will definitely research it thoroughly beforehand.

 

[my spoiled chickens]

There was an article on a batchelor flock, I will try to find it, alot of times if the roosters are all raised together a batchelor flock could be easier to make

 

[my spoiled chickens]

@CloneFly

 

[Mrs. K]

Actually adding a rooster is the easiest. Wait till the pullets are laying, then turn them out, let out the rooster you think is going to work, and he should follow them home. They should be in love by morning.

One of the 6 roosters, you might get one or two that will work, but no guarantees. Cull anything you don't like for any reason. You need to thin the trees, when I have a group of roosters, I divide them in half for the first cull. The second cull, leave 2. The thing is, as you remove birds, their behavior changes. I would pick one, and add him to my laying hens, and wait an see a week.

If they love him, he gives you space, does not crow when you approach, does not flap at you, does not jump up on things to be taller, does not give you the stink eye, does not terrorize his hens and does not sneak around behind you, and then look innocent when you catch him...that is good.

He should be the first bird to see you approach, he should calmly move away from you about 4-6 feet as you move amongst them. He should tidbit, wing dance for his girl. He should call warnings if a hawk is over head. This is a good rooster, not all roosters are good ones.

Exceptional roos will check out the nesting arrangements, even show girls where he thinks might be, 'Oh, no, you don't like that? Well what about this?' He tends to hang around the coop as hens are laying. He is good with baby chicks, he settles squabbles in the flock. The hen flock is relaxed because he is there.

If he does attack you, jumps up at you, bumps into your leg from behind, do know the next attack will be stronger and more violent. Do not make excuses for him, I was wearing red, I was carrying something, I touched a hen....yada, yada. They don't go back for that.

Roosters take a lot of experience and a sharp knife. Every time you keep a rotten one, it keeps you from a good one. Do know while you might get a good one out of six, it equally is just as likely that none of those will work out.


Mrs K