Rooster question

[Mahonri]

I've never been able to keep more than 2 roos.

I'm afraid to see how many of my 38 chicks from my hatch will be roos.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to show my boys how to process roos... they may not like raising chickens after that.

My son is praying for a Splash Wheaten and a spectacular Blue Wheaten...

Wouldn't hurt my feelings if all of them were pullets.

 

[lauralou]

I have 7 young Welsummer roos right now. I plan to keep 2 of them. In separate pens with their own hens.

I have definitely found a home for one of the extras, and probably for another. Then there are 2 that are going to be processed this weekend. I'm sad about it. They're beautiful, well mannered fellas, but it's just the reality of the situation when you hatch eggs. That leaves one little guy who's still too young to process, so hopefully I'll be able to find a home for him in the next few weeks.

It's harder to rehome them in the winter. That's been my experience, anyway. And I just don't have the space or the patience to keep them till spring. At which time I'll doubtless be hatching out more eggs, which means more roos...

 

[hensonly]

When I ordered my 15 chicks, I paid extra for all pullets. Two turned out to be roos. I've lost three hens, so I'm down to ten hens and two roos. So far, they get along, though I did just lose one hen recently, so when spring rolls around, who knows... but I will have to get more hens or find a home for one roo, as the poor girls were naked all last summer from the boys jumping on them all the time. By the way, they don't free range due to hawks etc., so even cooped up the boys get along. The flock is turning two years old this spring. Lots of people told me that two roos would not get along, but these were together from the start, and they're fine together. the boss roo I call Hotshot, and the other one is Wannabee.

Remember, if you're going to eat it, don't name it!!