Roosters, Roosters, Roosters

[Alissa Streight]

Hi!

I had purchased a total of 16 day old chicks (first time ever raising chickens) and lost none. I have felt pretty confident up until this point, but now I need opinions and expirence driven responses.

Out of the clutch, 5 were roosters. With 11 hens who free range all day long every day, how many roosters should I get rid of, if any at all?

I love my Roos. They are all friendly and respectful. I don't want to get rid of any if I don't have to, and if I do, I want to get rid of the bare minimum.

However, I also don't want to over breed my hens.

Thoughts?

 

[jolly wattles]

I would only keep 1 with 11 hens and get rid of the others. Or you could house them in a seperate bachelor's pen.

 

[song of joy]

How old are the roosters? If they are still young cockerels, you are probably not yet seeing their full, hormonal potential for harassing each other as well as the hens.

For that number of hens, one rooster would be best so the hens are not over-bred and harassed. It's possible you could get away with two, but you'd have to really monitor things closely.

If you really want to keep the others, you could provide a separate coop and fenced run for them, although if they can see the rest of the free-ranging flock, they may not be happy confined and they may fight if hens are in view.

By next breeding season (beginning around February), hormones will really ramp up and you'll see increased fighting among the roosters, especially if they are together with the hens.

 

[FlyWheel]

1/11 is a good ratio. more than that and they'll bicker over their 'spoils'.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

I'd keep three with that many if they get along. Tops. Definitely two cockerels for 11. Can you get more girls?

 

[bobbi-j]

One cockerel to the 11 pullets is a good number. Free ranging or not, once they hit their sexual maturity (generally earlier than the pullets do), the only thing they'll have on their little cockerel brains is breeding, breeding, breeding. They will chase your girls and compete to mate with them, sometimes several at a time. Your pullets will not be able to eat, drink, dustbathe or rest without harassment. Really. I know this one. Too many cockerels is stressful for your females.

 

[Mrs. K]

I am pretty sure you are wishing that we would say keep them all, but I am thinking that you are starting to see that this might not work out. These are flock mates, I would not keep any of them. You do not say how old they are, but I am betting they are in the darling stage. The bravest of the flock, not afraid of you, curious and just darn cute.

You are shortly going to go into the nightmare stage... maybe, but a strong maybe. You certainly can take the above advice and keep as many as you want, but my advice is to be VERY AWARE, and if you have small children, I would not let them near the chickens. My advice is be prepared to immediately separate birds, a 4 foot handled fish net can help. Fighting roosters can be very intimidating, breaking them up is not for the faint hearted.

I do not like roosters raised in flock of just flock mates. They rapidly become bigger than the pullets, stronger than the pullets, and sexually interested long before the pullets are ready. They often become bullies, and the tension in your flock will be high. Lots of fights, lots of abuse to the pullets as each bird is desperately trying to find their place in the flock.

Roosters are not like puppies or kittens, those pets, if treated nice, become friends for life. Chickens are a pecking order society. Each bird is either below or above every other bird in the flock. So what you see as cute and friendly behavior on your roosters, coming toward you, sitting on your lap, wanting to be petted and adored. The rooster sees this as being submissive behavior. As they become more hormonally driven, they have no fear of you, and fear equals respect.

They pick their battles, and will attack children first. Often times reaching their faces. Roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of kids. Then they will attack women, then men. Once they begin to attack, most will keep on, regardless of special training.

Roosters are a crap shoot, some turn out, and a lot don't. If asked, I strongly recommend an all hen flock for the first year. Work into this hobby. The next year, add some chicks, and let them grow up in the flock. The older hens will teach those roosters some respect, they are bigger than the rooster for a long time.

Roosters take some experience in my opinion, and a sharp knife. You will need to be able to cull them, and do it quickly often times.

 

[Chickassan]

Mrs. K is absolutely correct! The only way I would keep a fella with flock mates is if there were already older hens established to show everyone the ropes. I would definitely wait a bit and start with a "outsider" roo if you're bound and determined to have one. As has been mentioned those guys aren't going to stay sweet with that many dudes you are definitely going to see some unsavory stuff. But believe me I know it's hard to part with some of them but you have to think of the flocks well being, you are after all their keeper.

 

[aart]

Stewsters, Stewsters, Stewsters.
Sorry that just popped into my head.
Next week will contain 'extra cockerel slaughter day' here,
they will be 16wks old tomorrow and just starting to cause trouble.
You've gotten lots of good advice(get rid of them all but maybe one)
I'll just add .......Welcome to BYC!!

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! One or none is the best advice! If you have no experience with chickens at home, and just must keep one, get advise, in person, from someone with experience. I would bet that you are going to like the 'friendliest' cockerel, who runs up to you and jumps into your lap. Bad choice! He's likely one of the boys who will go into human attack mode at some point. The boy who gets out of your way and watches so he can avoid getting close is a better bet. It's about respect, and not 'cute' human interactions.
I've always had roosters; currently three adults for my 39 hens, with three cockerels 'in the wings!' as possible replacements. Keeping too many is a disaster, and having adults to raise those boys 'up right' helps hugely. Mary