Rooster Pop

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Manders Roost

Manders Roost

In the Brooder
Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
8
Reaction score
3
Points
29
Location
Kansas City, KS
This last Spring I bought 4 chicks: 2 buff Orpingtons, a silver laced Wyandotte and an Ameraucana. Supposedly all female. However I have found in the last week, I in fact have two roosters. I am not pleased by this as I was looking forward to 4 hens laying a multitude of colored eggs. Am I safe with two roosters? Should I consider *gulp* culling one? Is there a fat chance in hxll that hens crow (ha!). See attcached pics the buff and the Ameraucana are the infiltrates-- any advice is welcome--first timer here, so go easy on me!!
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Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. You definitely need to cull one of your roosters and add some more hens to the flock as well. The recommended ratio of roosters to hens is 1 rooster for every 10 hens. As they mature and the hormones kick in, too many roosters (or in your case too few hens) will become very hard physically on your hens; over-breeding them, biting and plucking the feathers from their necks and backs, battering them, and potentially, seriously injuring them. The only reason you really need a rooster is to fertilize eggs for hatching and 1 rooster can easily handle 10-15 hens in this regard. In addition, your hens will be stressed if they are being over-bred and their egg production will drop off. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your rooster problem.
 
Welcome to BYC!

You have some nice looking birds, sorry you ended up with 2 roos and now have to make this decision. Good luck to you.

Thanks for joining us and always feel free to ask questions...we were all new at some point!
 
Thank you all for your suggestions and encouragement! I am thankful to have found such a responsive group! I will definitely have more questions as things progress... We only have a 4x8 coop, and have a large garden they are allowed to romp in.
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. There are still some kinks to iron out in the design and fencing aspect. As for now they are cooped all day until I get home from work, until I can make a super-safe run for them. As you can see, lots of potential for predators on this plot. Again thank you and I am glad to have found this flock!!
 
I forgot to mention in my original post...if you want to chat with other members in the KC area, check out the state threads:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/270925/find-your-states-thread

I grew up in NE KS and know how KC sprawls...not sure if you want the KS thread or the MO thread (maybe both?), but just pop in and say hi wherever you'd like.
 

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