Roosters

[Folly's place]

If you don't have space for more chicks, you have decisions to make. Breeding makes more chicks!!!
Either plan on larger coops, and more separate areas for breeders, broody hens or brooders, and growing babies, or plan to drastically shrink your flock .
'Chicken math' strikes again!!!
Mary

 

[J99]

I have space

 

[gtaus]

I have ten buff Orpingtons and I really wanted a buff Rooster

I have 10 chickens, all of different breeds. My Buff Orpington is one of my favorites. But then again, I say that about all my birds. Seems to make sense to get a BO rooster if you have BO hens.

 

[Shadrach]

Ok so I’ll get BO Cockerel next year then but bringing a few babies into my large grown flock is difficult because of bullying, so I thought it would be better to get them now small and let them establish pecking order at this five to seven week age ? However my one Rooster is 4 months old so he’s at least two months older then everyone else and established dominance quick so I don’t know

I would wait until you've actually got a rooster until you decide on anything.
What you have is a cockerel and there is a world of difference between an easy going finding his feet cockerel and an adult rooster.

 

[J99]

I would wait until you've actually got a rooster until you decide on anything.
What you have is a cockerel and there is a world of difference between an easy going finding his feet cockerel and an adult rooster.

Yes how can I make sure he stays nice?

 

[Shadrach]

Yes how can I make sure he stays nice?

You can't and they don't.
Roosters don't do nice. They do lots of other great things but nice isn't one of them.

 

[Folly's place]

What you hope for is 'polite', and some are and some are dinner. I only keep and breed roosters who aren't human aggressive, and who are good with the hens and youngsters.
Mary

 

[Chickassan]

Ok, let this boy mature first.
Then makes sure he'll even tolerate chicks, some wont in fact some roosters kill chicks.
Now, if he dosent kill chicks you now have to make sure he dosent mate chicks....yep another unsavory possibility.
If he passes then you try to add a male chick.
You still have a lot of time.

 

[J99]

So far he hasn’t tried to mate my pullets and he’s getting sexually mature about now or soon I believe , but yes thank you guys for your advice so the consensus says wait so I’ll do that

 

[Mrs. K]

I don't think I would add a rooster until the next spring or summer. By then you will know about the fellow you have, your pullets will be laying.