Roosters number reduction experience

[CanadaEh]

As per thread about 5 month ago (link at the bottom) we were down to 2 roosters for 7 hens. I have planed to keep the 2 for as long as they don't fight to see who will grow to be a better one. I also wanted to get hatching eggs fertilized by both before making any culling decision.

Over ~5 months they got along just fine, however lately the signs of overbreeding became too obvious on the hens backs and heads, and my incubator (shipped from China) is yet to arrive, so I had to cull one of the roosters yesterday morning.

It is amazing how being down to 1 rooster changed hens behavior. Everybody moves like in slow motion now, mostly minding own business (virtually no pecking behaviours). Are they spooked or depressed by disappearance of another rooster? Is it a temporary calming or one rooster in the flock is the magic number? I know that even 1 for 7 hens may be too much in terms of overbreeding, but do multiple roosters also create unnecessary disturbance in the flock even if they get along just fine?

Previous thread on choosing 2 roosters out of 5:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/choosing-bared-rock-rooster-to-breed.1280679/

 

[chickens really]

You made the right decision..Sounds like things have calmed..

 

[IceHax]

farmers in my area actually all recommended to keep them in a 1 to 6 ratio, so yeah i think you made the right choice

 

[Mrs. K]

Always solve for peace in the flock. Once years ago, I had a bit of chicken math and got too many birds for that set up. A predator got in and had a hay-day. Should have been highly stressful, right?

However, just like you, I almost immediately noticed a calmness in my flock, a relaxation, just a more comfortable flock. Too many birds, too many roosters can add a tension in the flock. I think once you experience it, you recognize it. And a peaceful flock is just more enjoyable to be around. You like your chickens better.

Always solve, not for the perfect number, not for number of roosters, but rather for peace in the flock.

Mrs K

 

[DrakeMom]

My mom,my sisters, and I went on a trip and when we got home dad had cleaned out the chicken coop and dispose of our two roosters. (Unknown to us) As soon as I went to the see the chickens, there was a peace that had settled over them and I could feel there was no more tension. The hens have yet to grow back all the feathers the rooster's plucked off their necks. Some had big bare spots on the backs of their necks! I'm so glad we don't have them anymore! Also I feel like the rooster's crowing gets SO annoying!

 

[centrarchid]

I do like to see the slow calm movement in the social groups. Discord stresses me out.

 

[IceHax]

if you keep them in a good ratio, i don't see anything wrong with having roosters, it's not discord or stress, it's just the roosters doing their job, they are the alarm clock of the coop, they set the rithm for the day of the hens and ensure everything goes smoothly. without a rooster, a hen will have to take its spot, but will not be able to set the same rythm as the rooster.

 

[IceHax]

i too resisted the idea of getting roosters in my flock, until some years ago i met the coolest rooster ever, the flock was much more active with him, he'd escort hens to eat and alert them of the minimum potential danger. He wasn't aggressive with humans and he was just the sweetest boy. From that moment i always kept 1 or 2 roosters in my flock

 

[centrarchid]

if you keep them in a good ratio, i don't see anything wrong with it, it's not discord or stress, it's just the roosters doing their job, they are the alarm clock of the coop, they set the rithm for the day of the hens and ensure everything goes smoothly. without a rooster, a hen will have to take its spot, but will not be able to set the same rithm as the rooster.

I think there is a translation error.

 

[DrakeMom]

The two rooster we had were Silkies. We were really hoping they would both be hens but... Anyway, one was white and the other black. The white definitely being he more dominant. And the black being smaller and very sweet. If it had been up me, I would have kept the black one. The white one chased my 8 yr. old sister around the yard and attacked her. So I went outside with her and we had a dominacy session with him. That is showing him that we are humans therefore we are dominant over him!​