Rooster timing

[FriendsChicks]

The current status of my small flock:

-3 hens, a little over a year old
-1 rooster, about 15 weeks old
-3 chicks (from one of the hens who went broody), 4 weeks old

Of the 3 chicks, it's looking pretty obvious that one of them is a rooster.

I know we can't have 2 roosters with this small flock. I'd like to know how much time I have to find a home for one of them. At what point would you say I should definitely be rid of one of them? In other words - how old can the currently 4-week old roo be, without causing a problem?

Right now they are all integrated, everyone getting along fine.

 

[Folly's place]

Things are fine now, and you do have time to place either cockerel. It's early to see how each will actually behave, I'd watch them longer. If one just doesn't impress you, move him on. If it's a toss-up, wait and see.
Mary

 

[FriendsChicks]

That's good advice, Mary. What kind of general timeframe is this "watch and see" time? Weeks? Months?

 

[Folly's place]

Weeks or months, there's no actual cut-off date. What will matter, given your very few hens and pullets, is how harassed they might be. Your hens may be good for these cockerels, if one or more of them make them eat humble pie.
It's supposed to be fun!
Mary

 

[FriendsChicks]

Awesome, thank you so much!

 

[Ridgerunner]

At what point would you say I should definitely be rid of one of them? In other words - how old can the currently 4-week old roo be, without causing a problem?

That is a hard question to answer for different reasons. To start with, what do you consider "causing a problem"? Our perspectives vary. I may see a behavior where no one is being hurt as a situation of "chickens being chickens". Someone else may see it as "It's a riot! It's a disaster! Call out the national guard, this has to be brought under control immediately! Woe is me! I can't stand it!" I'm trying to be a little funny here but I'm also serious. Our perceptions can vary a lot. I remember a lady who grabbed her shotgun and blew away a rooster because he was raping her hens. I would not have viewed it that way at all. That's what I mean some people may consider something a disaster where I may consider it to be natural.

It is unlikely he will make a difference until he hits puberty. When will he hit puberty? I wish I knew. Some start as early as 12 weeks, some may not start until 5 months or even later. At some point the two cockerels are likely to fight to determine which is boss. It may be over with so quickly you don't even know they fought. It could be a fight to the death. You just don't know what will actually happen. At some point the young on will notice the girls are girls. That could go many many different ways.

Your 15 week old cockerel may have noticed the three hens and be causing problems with them now. Or they may work it out where it is never a problem. Each situation is different.

One problem in deciding which one to keep is that as long as you have two they can feed off of each other. The competition can make them worse than they would normally be or the more dominant one can suppress the behavior of the weaker. Their behaviors can change when you remove one. I understand why Folly is saying you have time to observe. You do. If one attacks a human they just made your decision of which one to keep easy. When I'm making that kind of choice I often have 15 to 20 to choose from. I have certain criteria as to what I want. I keep putting the ones I don't want in the freezer until I'm left with the one I want.

One suggestion I'll make. Have a plan so you can separate out a chicken immediately if you need to. That could be a girl that needs to go into the hospital, I always have something like that available. But specifically in your case you may need to lock one of the boys up immediately. You probably have a couple of more months before that is likely to happen. Many people use dog cages or dog crates, I purposely built something that has come in handy many different times for a lot of different things.

 

[Northern Hen]

I have a flock of 13: One rooster, 9 mature hens, 2 young chicks, 3 weeks old (may be one pullet, and one roo) and a 14 week old cockerel who was hatched and raised by his mom here. The problem is now the cockerel is afraid of all the hens (except his mom) and the rooster and of me. Mom has stopped defending him. He does not trust me enough to eat out of my hand and just grabs food and runs. He does not act like he has a right to eat with everyone else. He also will not come into the coop at night any more to roost. It would be hard for me to catch him. He is a pretty bird but I am afraid that if I catch him I will have to dispatch him to the freezer. I was hoping to gain his trust and integrate him with the flock but he is the biggest "chicken" I have ever seen. Advice people, please . Thanks Picture of Cockerel

 

[Folly's place]

Do you have multiple feeder and waterers? If not, add at least one more of each, separated so birds can always get food and water as needed. Also, is he being harassed at night when everyone is going in to roost? This may be a short term problem, and he might be able to go in again soon.
Is it only one bird who's picking on him? If yes, confine her for a week or three, and see if his life improves. Or, move him on elsewhere.
Mary

 

[Northern Hen]

Do you have multiple feeder and waterers? If not, add at least one more of each, separated so birds can always get food and water as needed. Also, is he being harassed at night when everyone is going in to roost? This may be a short term problem, and he might be able to go in again soon.
Is it only one bird who's picking on him? If yes, confine her for a week or three, and see if his life improves. Or, move him on elsewhere.
Mary

Thanks for responding. I have managed to lure him into a dog cage and have kept my cockerel in there in the daytime while the others free range and at night in the coop or all day in the coop when all of them are there too..It has been 2 weeks now.. I would love to let him free range with the others but I am afraid if I do I will never catch him again if he decides to sleep outside.