Roosters, too many what to do?

[KahKaDoodleDo22]

Hello,

I currently have 31 in my flock. 1 pen has 1 cockerel and 5 hens, the other pen has 24 hens, a rooster and a cockerel, and the last cockerel is separated but in site of the other chickens

My questions is, what if I seperate the cockerel and out him with the other isolated cockerel, whom he grew up with, for a month then added him back to the flock? He’s over breeding a hen that’s hiding and I need to put him in time out. Do u think the rooster would allow him back in after a month?

 

[cavemanrich]

A 10 hens to 1 rooster combo is acceptable. Your young cockerel is at a stage where his hormones have GONE WILD... Should mature in time and be more stable. (no be overanxious breeding)
Give it a try, and see how things work out. Remember that each rooster can have individual temperament.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[FortCluck]

A 10 hens to 1 rooster combo is acceptable. Your young cockerel is at a stage where his hormones have GONE WILD... Should mature in time and be more stable. (no be overanxious breeding)
Give it a try, and see how things work out. Remember that each rooster can have individual temperament.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

When do they start settling down?

 

[aart]

A 10 hens to 1 rooster combo is acceptable.

The 'rooster' to hen ratio of 1:10 that is often cited is primarily for fertility efficiency in commercial breeding facilities.
It doesn't mean that if a cockbird has 10 hens that he won't abuse or over mate them.
It all depends on the temperaments of the cock and hens and sometimes housing provided.
Many breeders keep pairs, trios, quads, etc
Backyard flocks can achieve good fertility with a larger ratio.

Do u think the rooster would allow him back in after a month?

No, not likely.
How old are the cockerels?
Why do you need so many males?
Multiple males creates an environment of competition, bringing out the worst behaviors in all the males.

 

[KahKaDoodleDo22]

Thanks everyone. I hatched a few roosters this spring. I have two left from that hatch about 7 months old, one rooster who is 3 years old and another new one he is 4-5 months old. The newest one is for breeding. The older one is my original cock and the two 7 month olds I just like. I don’t plan to have more than 2 cocks with my 24 hens at one time. But because of age and hormones I was thinking of separating the two 7 month olds for a while. I am currently trying to Rehome at least one. Then I will only have 3! Still a lot I know

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree with Aart. Some people have great success with 1 rooster with 4 hens, with several of this size flock free ranging in a large area. I typically keep one rooster with 6 to 8 hens without these issues. Dad kept a flock of 1 rooster and about 25 hens free ranging.

You don't get guarantees about behaviors with living animals. Real life just doesn't work that way. We can tell you what we expect to be most likely to happen but someone else has had an exception. Sometimes I've seen exceptions to what I think is most likely to happen.

I think how much room you have will have an impact on what happens. The more room you have the more likely they are to work things out satisfactory, room in the coop and especially room outside. In this situation do not think of the coop in isolation. How much room you have outside is very important.

What I would expect to happen if you separate out that cockerel until he matures more and then put him back in with the flock and the older rooster is that the two roosters will fight. That might be serious fighting, it may be more chasing and running away, provided he has room to run away. One rooster might die or be seriously injured. The two may reach an accommodation on how to manage the flock. Often but not always the two roosters set up two separate territories, preferably out of sight of each other. The hens decide which rooster they want to be with. Sometimes that is pretty even numbered harems, sometimes not. The hens are not necessarily loyal to their rooster, the roosters are not loyal to their harem. There can be a lot of hanky panky going on. The roosters can sometimes test the borders of the other's territory. But by having established territories if can be mostly peaceful.

It is possible they won't set up separate territories. They may be able to coincide side-by-side. They will know who is boss and there may be skirmishes, but again it is generally peaceful.

Or one may kill the other.

If you do separate them, give them as much room as you can when you put the back together. Then observe.

Good luck!

 

[Soy Milano]

There is no magic ratio. It all depends on the different personalities involved. You can have 1, 2, 3 ,or 4 roosters in with any number of hens and be fine, or you could have a disaster. It always depends. You can however, start a bachelor flock of roosters and they can get along pretty well - http://www.poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/tips-for-keeping-bachelor-flocks

 

[Folly's place]

I have multiple roosters and cockerels, and they must all get along, or somebody has to move elsewhere. They grow up together, with the roosters raising each year's cockerels, and either things work out, or birds are removed from the flock.
Last winter we had six males and forty-two females going into winter. This year we have five males and twenty-eight females. My coop/ run is large enough, and they have free range time most days, and there's no fighting.
These particular groups of chickens get along together, and I do watch them carefully. If necessary, difficult birds of either sex leave, for the good of the entire flock.
Wishing that birds will get along doesn't work; either they do, or they don't.
Separating birds from the group, especially roosters, and hoping for happy reunions weeks later, will likely fail. When my three different breeding groups are separated in spring so I can hatch chicks, they are all out there, in sight and hearing of each other, and so not really separated.
Mary

 

[pennyJo1960]

Thanks everyone. I hatched a few roosters this spring. I have two left from that hatch about 7 months old, one rooster who is 3 years old and another new one he is 4-5 months old. The newest one is for breeding. The older one is my original cock and the two 7 month olds I just like. I don’t plan to have more than 2 cocks with my 24 hens at one time. But because of age and hormones I was thinking of separating the two 7 month olds for a while. I am currently trying to Rehome at least one. Then I will only have 3! Still a lot I know

Not allot if they are raised together, do you have a 3rd yard that you could give girls a break ? just the boys off and on if two are in the 24 or maybe split the 24 so one each?
we have a great state thread also your in Washington state ?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...me-together-washington-peeps.717207/page-4656

 

[KahKaDoodleDo22]

Thanks Everyone! And thanks for the Washingtonians link!

Update:
I tried putting my ameraucana rooster (the young black one with the teenage hormones) back with his chick-mate rooster who is currently separated as well. That didn’t work out. They caught a lot. So I put the ameraucana back with the main flock. My poor hen, he just keeps traumatizing her. It’s only one hen. If I seperate her she won’t be brought back in. Maybe I do need to separate both boys? Including the older one, although he is the ultimate protector and very good at taking care of his girls. Seems wrong. Idk