Roosters

[HenTea]

Hello,

We got our 1st 8 hens last year. We lost 2 to hawks and bought 4 more to replace them. We lost one more to how knows what. That left us with 9. The store we got our hens from is not getting them this year. So we picked up 13 chicks off Facebook. They are 3 weeks and I believe we have 2 rooters. One Barred Rock, and one Ameraucana. We have no experience with roosters at this point. Not like we had any with the hens. I cant find any consistent info on rooters to hens. I will have 20 hens 2 roosters. I am not worried or at this point interested in breeding. Just dont have the heart to sell them. I see post of people trying to sell them all the time. Not sure I would be able too. Is 2 roosters too much? Will I have lots of red spots in the eggs? I see people selling saddles or aprons for their hens. Do I need to be worried about my hens backs? If I have to sell a rooster, witch one would be better to keep? Sorry if any of this seams dumb. I really had no plans on having a rooster. Thanks in advance for your help.

Tea

 

[Skyle]

20 hens to 2 roosters it's a good ratio and likely you won't need saddles for your hens. I'd keep both and see.
If they grow up together, they are more likely to tollerate each other.
If you notice that you need to rehome one (they don't get along, the hens have ruined back feathers, etc.) I advise you to keep the one that it's more alert to predators.
If one turns out aggressive towards you, rehome or cull him, chicken keeping it's a wonderful hobby and it hasn't to become a pain because a roosters attaccks you everyday.
Red spots in the eggs doesn't mean the egg it' fertilised. They simply form when a blood vessel ruptures while the egg is forming.

 

[JedJackson]

Try it and see. 20 hens for 2 roosters is reasonable. You can expect some fighting while they are young, but sometimes they sort things out between themselves and get along just fine. The more space your chickens have the better the chances that they'll get along, in my opinion.

There really is no telling if there will be problems with the hens' backs. Often a rooster will have one or two favorite hens who lose back feathers, but each situation is unique. So long as you are attentive you should be alright. If you see problems, then you can explore your options when the time comes.

I hope things work out!

 

[hollyengland08]

Like others have said, try and see!! If there is any sign of them being too much for the hens, eg. plucking feathers, sore backs, you may need to get rid of one. I had one rooster that we hatched ourselves but he was just too much for our hens and got very aggressive, but we had raised him from a chick and were upset to possibly let him go. He got worse and ended up injuring one of her hens so bad we had to cull her. It's hard but you have to make that call sometimes.

 

[Mrs. K]

With roosters, always have a plan B. And plan B needs to be set up and ready to go. A dog crate and a fish net can be used to separate fighting birds. Do know that todays behavior has not much influence on tomorrow's behavior, or being raised together or free ranging also has almost no real influence either. They can get along just fine, and then not get along.

Do you have young children, especially children that share the area with the chickens? Natural behavior in children can upset roosters, but some roosters need no reason at all. Too many people believe that an aggressive rooster is their fault or someone else's fault. Don't go for that.

If you have young children, a lot of times, the child will be the first to be attacked, then women, then men. A truly aggressive rooster will take on all humans eventually, and while there are posts about training them, there are more about failures. If you have children under the age of 6 years old, that attack can be in the face or head. Most inexperienced people vastly underestimate the violence of a rooster. If you have young children, I would get rid of the roosters.

If you are adults, just be aware of them, and know that if it works out, that is great, and if it doesn't, you have a plan. If there was some solid advice out there on how to raise up a perfect rooster, that guy would be rich. A great rooster is a pleasure to have in your flock, but a lot of roosters are not great roosters, and a lot of them are terrible. The more roosters you have the greater the chance of it going wrong.

Mrs K

 

[HenTea]

We have 2 kids 9 and 12. They dont go to the coop to often. The 12 year old been wanting a rooter. We keep trying to tell him they are mean. The 9 year old will go and get eggs here and there. Not to often. Sounds like its a wait and see.

 

[bobbi-j]

We have 2 kids 9 and 12. They dont go to the coop to often. The 12 year old been wanting a rooter. We keep trying to tell him they are mean. The 9 year old will go and get eggs here and there. Not to often. Sounds like its a wait and see.

Not all roosters are mean. As Mrs. K says, they’re a crapshoot.

 

[cassie]

I wouldn't stress about the roosters. Some are aggressive and some are not. If you end up with an aggressive rooster your best bet is the crock pot. Don't pawn him off on someone else.

 

[Mrs. K]

As long as your children understand and you too, that this really might not work, and the rooster will need to be culled. Some people eat them, some just bury them, it is up to you. It can be a real life lesson, that something you were good to, took care of, and tried to give him a good life can be that aggressive. But it can happen.