Rooster Surprise!!

[lhawes]

We got 11 pullets and 1 cockrel chick from a local farm a few months ago. They are all about 2 months old right now and some are starting to crow!! We guess that out of the 12 about 5 of them are actually roosters.

With that being said.. besides the 12 Americanas our flock currently consists of the following:

1 - New Hampshire Red roo
1 - New Hampshire Red hen
1 - Barred Rock hen
5 - Rhode Island Red hens
5 - Silver Laced Wyandotte hens

10 - Isa Brown pullets (a little over a month old hatched 10/10)

We also have 4 one week old chicks, 4 chicks hatching today or tomorrow, and 25 more in the incubator hatching between 12/3-12/15.

Since we are new at having roosters with the hens (we couldnt have roo's in the city where we lived before)... we are wondering if that many roos in the flock are going to cause issues or if it will be ok? Needless to say we are a bit upset because we wanted to have the pullets so we could have more of the blue/green eggs and didn't want so many roosters. We for sure are not going to be going there for chicks again!

 

[normanack]

Hi neighbor! I'm in Shaftsburg, too.
Where did you get the birds from? PM me if you don't want to give the identity publically. (Of course you don't have to tell me if you don't want.)

 

[lhawes]

What a small world!! My hubby found an ad for them on craigslist. They were the first ones that we got for our flock. He wanted them because that is what we had in Oregon before we moved, and he loved the blue green eggs and their temperament. We picked them up from someone in the Fenton area. I don't remember their number of I would be calling them up complaining about it. We are hoping the roosters all get along, but we shall see.

So are you within the "village" limits or outskirts??? I found it funny when we first moved here we are considered in the village limits. WE had strict rules on what we could do with chickens where we lived, so I wanted to be sure that we were following the rules here. The township hall told us we couldnt have any chickens unless we were zoned A-1 argriculture. So I asked about the house right next door to them that sells eggs and has chickens and rooster. She was shocked and said I will have to check on that.... never heard a thing since. I was planning on only having a few hens for eggs... but then I told my hubby screw that...we have at least 4 houses with roosters and hens around us, 2 of which sell eggs... we are having a dang rooster too!!

 

[cupman]

I have 6 roosters and they don't really fight with each other. They will establish a pecking order much like hens do. The only time I see them spar is when one tries to mate with a hen right in front of the other ones. The fighting is minimal and I've never seen them draw blood.

You should be okay if they all grow up together. I think most of the problems occur when you introduce two roosters that are already mature.

 

[normanack]

So are you within the "village" limits or outskirts??? I found it funny when we first moved here we are considered in the village limits. WE had strict rules on what we could do with chickens where we lived, so I wanted to be sure that we were following the rules here. The township hall told us we couldnt have any chickens unless we were zoned A-1 argriculture. So I asked about the house right next door to them that sells eggs and has chickens and rooster. She was shocked and said I will have to check on that.... never heard a thing since. I was planning on only having a few hens for eggs... but then I told my hubby screw that...we have at least 4 houses with roosters and hens around us, 2 of which sell eggs... we are having a dang rooster too!!

I'm going to assume I'm in the outskirts. When I called the township and asked about chickens, she said there weren't any regulations where I live.

There's a guy in Birch Run who sells Ameraucanas. I'll try to find his website. I have some green egg-layers I bought at Soldan's. They get them from Townline Hatchery in Zeeland.

Where did you move from?

Cheers,
Anne

 

[donrae]

I know I'm going to get in trouble here, but what were you planning on doing with the dozen roosters you're going to hatch out?

Sounds like you just need a bachelor pad for the boys. Roosters do fairly well if there's no ladies to fight over. Pick a few to keep the hens company and segregate the rest.

 

[lhawes]

I'm going to assume I'm in the outskirts. When I called the township and asked about chickens, she said there weren't any regulations where I live.
There's a guy in Birch Run who sells Ameraucanas. I'll try to find his website. I have some green egg-layers I bought at Soldan's. They get them from Townline Hatchery in Zeeland.
Where did you move from?
Cheers,
Anne

We moved from Oregon We were born and raised here in MI.. I went to Laingsburg schools and hubby went to Corunna. We are just inside the village limits.. but there are people right behind the township hall that have about 30 chickens plus goats... so since my neighbors are not even half as close as theirs are, we are doing chickens too!

We got our Isa Browns and Jumbo crosses from Townline Hatchery. We actually went out to Zeeland to pick them up. We have family in Wyoming/Grand Rapid area, so we made a day trip out of it. Since we moved later in the "chicken season" there were very few chicks we could find. Hubby wanted to try his hand on some of the jumbo crosses... and I told him never again. I would rather have dual purpose than have to see them suffer through heart attacks.

We are out on Shaftsburg Road... bought the forclosed house with the red door on it for very cheap, so we are spending all our money fixing it up as we live in it and raise a yard full of chickens!

 

[lhawes]

I know I'm going to get in trouble here, but what were you planning on doing with the dozen roosters you're going to hatch out?

Sounds like you just need a bachelor pad for the boys. Roosters do fairly well if there's no ladies to fight over. Pick a few to keep the hens company and segregate the rest.

All depends.. we plan on trying to see if we can find homes for some of them. We plan on selling chicks if we can... or perhaps trading if it comes down to it. They are also all dual purpose breeds for a reason.

 

[NovaAman]

Hi! I am in Holland... Where I am, when I moved here, there were hardly any chickens around. Just a guy about 1/2 mile down the road, then the neighbor got his 3 years ago. I got my birds last year late spring, and since that time, there are now a total of 8 houses in this 1/2 mile triangle of roads that have birds. Nothing like hearing all the roosters from all around crowing. LOL. YAY for being A1! And I dont' mean the sauce! LOL.

Nearly all my birds are DP. We eat the cockerels. I feed them for 4-5 months, then they feed me and my kids. Win-win situation for me. I don't buy chickens any more either. I just let the roosters I keep do their roosterly deed, and when I have a hen go broody, give her the eggs to hatch.

 

[lhawes]

Hi! I am in Holland... Where I am, when I moved here, there were hardly any chickens around. Just a guy about 1/2 mile down the road, then the neighbor got his 3 years ago. I got my birds last year late spring, and since that time, there are now a total of 8 houses in this 1/2 mile triangle of roads that have birds. Nothing like hearing all the roosters from all around crowing. LOL. YAY for being A1! And I dont' mean the sauce! LOL.

Nearly all my birds are DP. We eat the cockerels. I feed them for 4-5 months, then they feed me and my kids. Win-win situation for me. I don't buy chickens any more either. I just let the roosters I keep do their roosterly deed, and when I have a hen go broody, give her the eggs to hatch.

That is pretty much what we plan to do too... but we wanted to try to incubate and hatch some. Needless to say, we are addicted now! I know some of our Rhode Island Red hens are very motherly.. they protected our little chicks when we added them to the flock. We are waiting to see if any go broody, and then we will let them try to hatch their own too and see how it goes.