Roosters and hens, how many is too many?

[Kwoodward]

This is my first year with chickens. I currently have 8, 4 hens 4 roosters. This was not done intentionally... I swear they followed me home.
I'm curious to know if my cockerels will cause troubles?
So far everyone gets along well enough and the roo I want to be Alpha seems to be Alpha (he's a gentleman). I'm just worried I'm going to wake up one day to trouble. Any thoughts??

 

[sourland]

Four cockerels/four pullets = problems inevitable. The cockerels will fight, gang breed and possibly injure the pullets. They are still babies and their behavior will change as the hormones run rampant. Have a plan B in mind as it will very well be necessary to separate all of the cockerels from the pullets. Some folks maintain cockerel/rooster flocks.

 

[Mrs. K]

I too, would expect trouble. You don't have hens and roosters, you have pullets and cockerels, immature birds.

Do have a plan B set up and ready to go. When it goes south, it can do so fast and you need a way to separate birds immediately. If you have never seen an aggressive rooster, it is rather hard to believe how violent them can be. A long handled fish net or a chicken hook can be used to separate fighting birds. You will need another pen/coup for them. Roosters at this age can make pullets lives a misery. The roosters become sexually active long before the pullets, and have no older birds to thump manners into them, they often become aggressive.

I know they are just darling, and your rooster chicks the most outgoing and what seems to be friendly manner, but I would expect this to go badly, if you don't separate them. A lot depends on the space of your set up. However, if I was going to have 4 roosters, I would have nearly 75 + chickens.

If you have young children under the age of 5 I strongly recommend you remove the roosters from your flock. Many children have taken an attack in the face. Many people have had the whole chicken experience ruined by roosters.

Mrs K

 

[Kwoodward]

Darn,
They are very easy to handle and gentle boys. Do you think a bantam roo and a average sized guy would cause trouble?

 

[Kwoodward]

I too, would expect trouble. You don't have hens and roosters, you have pullets and cockerels, immature birds.

Do have a plan B set up and ready to go. When it goes south, it can do so fast and you need a way to separate birds immediately. If you have never seen an aggressive rooster, it is rather hard to believe how violent them can be. A long handled fish net or a chicken hook can be used to separate fighting birds. You will need another pen/coup for them. Roosters at this age can make pullets lives a misery. The roosters become sexually active long before the pullets, and have no older birds to thump manners into them, they often become aggressive.

I know they are just darling, and your rooster chicks the most outgoing and what seems to be friendly manner, but I would expect this to go badly, if you don't separate them. A lot depends on the space of your set up. However, if I was going to have 4 roosters, I would have nearly 75 + chickens.

If you have young children under the age of 5 I strongly recommend you remove the roosters from your flock. Many children have taken an attack in the face. Many people have had the whole chicken experience ruined by roosters.

Mrs K

I actually have hens and cockerels. My girls are gifts from a friend and about 2 years old. Which is nice because they boss around the boys right now.

I have a cockerel picked out to keep and an auction barn down the road and a dog crate for the others, if any aggression pops up. I don't have the time to build another winterized coop, I'm in Ontario and it's getting frosty in the mornings.

 

[Mrs. K]

I knew they would be. That is how rooster chicks are. They are not like kittens or puppies, whereas if you are nice to them, they will be nice to you.

In chicken society, every time two chickens meet, one is higher and one is lower. The lower one gives way. People often misread outgoing rooster behavior as being friendly, when more than likely it is they are not afraid of you. Fear equals respect, and if they don't respect you, they expect you to do it their way.

When you have them on your lap, when you pet them, you are taking the lower position. Many times this bird will become aggressive. Not 100%, but very often. I do not handle my rooster chicks at all. I walk pretty briskly, and the rooster that I will keep tends to stay about 5 feet away from me. He is aware of where I am, but he tends to look away and pretend I am not there.

A rooster that begins to jump up on things, that approaches me, crows wildly while I am in the coop, that flaps his wings or puffs up is gone from my coop. I have grandchildren that love to help me, and they are way more important to me than a rooster.

If you look around this forum, you will find numerous posts where the darling becomes the nightmare. Where birds raised together in perfect harmony are all of a sudden fighting it out until one is bloody or sometimes dead. That is the reality of roosters, not the romance of chickens. Often times people think this came out of no-where, but really inexperienced people just didn't pick up the signals until the attack.

I wish I could tell you that this will work out fine, and that you will have wonderful pets, but I surely would not bet on it.

Have a plan B, seriously consider getting all or most of the roosters out. An all hen flock is a wonderful way to get some experience the first year.

Mrs K

 

[Mrs. K]

Having the older girls is a big help. Many time first year people have all pullets and roosters being raised together. Older birds do educate the younger birds, and in my opinion raise up nicer roosters. I would not keep more than one rooster. If you have children, I would not keep any of them. I am just glad you have a way of getting rid of them. Many people on here do not.

In a year, you and your family (if you have one) will have more experience. Then add a rooster, or raise one up. Roosters take experience.

 

[MROO]

Four cockerels/four pullets = problems inevitable. The cockerels will fight, gang breed and possibly injure the pullets. They are still babies and their behavior will change as the hormones run rampant. Have a plan B in mind as it will very well be necessary to separate all of the cockerels from the pullets. Some folks maintain cockerel/rooster flocks.

X 2 on this. They're fine together as babies, but as the hormones begin to kick in, you'll see a big change. Cockerels are often okay in a mixed age flock, where there are adults to show them how to behave (and to put them in their places if they don't,) but in the absence of an established flock order, you're asking for issues. Think of it as leaving a bunch of middle school kids unattended at a party ... for weeks on end.
Your best (and safest) bet is to separate them early, before the problems start. Not only will it save your pullets a lot of potential damage and stress, your boys are more likely to stay sweet-tempered if there are no ladies to fight over. You can determine who will be your flock master by simply reintroducing him to your girls ... AFTER they start to lay.

 

[Mrs. K]

I am in SD, and we are expecting a major blizzard tonight.

 

[MROO]

I am in SD, and we are expecting a major blizzard tonight.

Stay warm and safe! And check back in with snow pictures, please!