Rooster to Hen ratio - and roosters living with no hens? Can this work?

[CuteChick369]

Is anyone out there "rooster heavy" and successful with it? We have three roosters and seven hens. We live in town and are starting to have a crowing issue. I am thinking of trying the no crow collar, or bringing them into the garage at night, but even if I get the crowing under control, am I doomed having too many roosters?

The roosters are about 4 months old. Some hens are 4 months and some are a little over a year. The roosters grew up together, and they do an awful lot of "dancing" around each other, especially in the mornings, but so far no fights.

I'm trying to decide if I should rehome the roosters, or if there is any chance at flock harmony with so many roosters?

I did find one potential home for them, but they'd be the only chickens for a while, until they got more. So my secondary question - how do roosters do when they have NO hens around?

Thanks!

 

[Trefoil]

I keep my extra roosters in a "bachelor pad". With no hens they seem to get along, I haven't had any problems with fighting or aggression. These are all over a year and up to 4 years old.

 

[donrae]

I would advise to get rid of the roosters.

They're only 4 months old, just hitting adolescence. Things are only going to get worse from a crowing and mating standpoint. If you're worried about the noise now, you really need to decide if you want to be bringing roosters in the house or otherwise trying to manage crowing for the next 5+ years, every single day. And what about when you want to go on vacation? Is your chicken sitter going to go to these lengths to keep the noise down? They also don't crow only in the early am--mine crow on and off all day long. Plus at night during the full moon, or if my neighbor's floodlight goes on in the middle of the night.

3 roosters and 7 hens is also a recipe for some really, really unhappy hens. The older ladies might teach them some manners, but even an older hen can't hold her own when one rooster pins her down and another hops on, with the third just dancing behind waiting to be the next one to jump on. Chicken mating isn't pretty to start with, when you have juveniles, and that many males can make it very ugly.

You probably didn't want roosters to start with, just some nice hens for the yard for some eggs. Stick with that plan, rehome the roosters and have a nice, drama, stress free flock.

Roosters can live fine without any hens around, especially if they've been raised together. If you find someone that wants all three, consider yourself blessed!

 

[red horse ranch]

Is anyone out there "rooster heavy" and successful with it? We have three roosters and seven hens. We live in town and are starting to have a crowing issue. I am thinking of trying the no crow collar, or bringing them into the garage at night, but even if I get the crowing under control, am I doomed having too many roosters?

The roosters are about 4 months old. Some hens are 4 months and some are a little over a year. The roosters grew up together, and they do an awful lot of "dancing" around each other, especially in the mornings, but so far no fights.

I'm trying to decide if I should rehome the roosters, or if there is any chance at flock harmony with so many roosters?

I did find one potential home for them, but they'd be the only chickens for a while, until they got more. So my secondary question - how do roosters do when they have NO hens around?

Thanks!

I love roosters! I would probably have dozens of them if they got along with each other better. Right now I have 6 of them but I have to keep my old guy separate since the younger ones are always trying to kill him. Roosters will fight to the death. Young ones like you have may not fight much right now but once the hormones start flowing they want to get rid of the competition.
You do have too many roosters for just 7 hens. You should not have more than one rooster for each 8 to 10 hens. They will tear up a hen's back and may kill a favorite hen if you have too many roosters.
You could find another home for 2 of them. They would probably get along okay for a year or two and then the new owner would have to decide what to do with them.

.

 

[donrae]

I love roosters! I would probably have dozens of them if they got along with each other better. Right now I have 6 of them but I have to keep my old guy separate since the younger ones are always trying to kill him. Roosters will fight to the death. Young ones like you have may not fight much right now but once the hormones start flowing they want to get rid of the competition.
You do have too many roosters for just 7 hens. You should not have more than one rooster for each 8 to 10 hens. They will tear up a hen's back and may kill a favorite hen if you have too many roosters.
You could find another home for 2 of them. They would probably get along okay for a year or two and then the new owner would have to decide what to do with them.

.

Sorry, just not true. Some roosters will fight to the death, not all. I've had multiple roosters together, and had an older rooster deposed and not injured at all, just dethroned. Birds are individuals just like any animal and you can't make blanket statements about how they'll act.
Several roosters in this picture, none of them fighting....




That said, I still believe the OP needs to rehome their roosters.

 

[CuteChick369]

I would advise to get rid of the roosters.

They're only 4 months old, just hitting adolescence. Things are only going to get worse from a crowing and mating standpoint. If you're worried about the noise now, you really need to decide if you want to be bringing roosters in the house or otherwise trying to manage crowing for the next 5+ years, every single day. And what about when you want to go on vacation? Is your chicken sitter going to go to these lengths to keep the noise down? They also don't crow only in the early am--mine crow on and off all day long. Plus at night during the full moon, or if my neighbor's floodlight goes on in the middle of the night.

3 roosters and 7 hens is also a recipe for some really, really unhappy hens. The older ladies might teach them some manners, but even an older hen can't hold her own when one rooster pins her down and another hops on, with the third just dancing behind waiting to be the next one to jump on. Chicken mating isn't pretty to start with, when you have juveniles, and that many males can make it very ugly.

You probably didn't want roosters to start with, just some nice hens for the yard for some eggs. Stick with that plan, rehome the roosters and have a nice, drama, stress free flock.

Roosters can live fine without any hens around, especially if they've been raised together. If you find someone that wants all three, consider yourself blessed!

Gosh, I feel like you jumped into my head and read my mind! You are right that we never intended to keep the roosters. In fact, we bought hatching eggs for our broody hen because she was so determined and we wanted to give her that experience, and we wanted to see it too. We always planned to rehome the roosters and/or hens that were too many for us to care for. Thanks for making me feel better about this - still super sad to see my adorable roos go, but it is the right thing.