Rueing seeing pink combs and wattles.

[Carol McLaine]

So, at not even four weeks, my Blue Red Laced Wyandotte and Speckled Sussex have pink combs and emerging wattles. Luckily, my same age Welsummer has a yellow comb and no wattles.

Anyway, I have two mature laying girls left after a dog got my RIR. One is a Barred Rock, the other is an Easter Egger. They appear to take turns with the alpha position my RIR previously held. They are nice girls and usually hang out quite nicely together. I know the ratio of two roosters to three hens is not good. However, is it at all possible all five could live together without my girls getting tortured? My partner said "NO ROOSTERS!", but he talks to the three new ones every night, and perhaps I can persuade him if there is a chance they can all get along.

The three new ones are currently still with a heat lamp, in a large dog crate that we have partitioned so we can increase the space as they get larger. I was hoping, after their fluff is gone and temperatures are steadily at least mid 70's to move the crate into the mature girl's living space. However, if my fears are correct, will I be putting my Welsummer in danger keeping her penned up with two cockerels?

 

[Hayduke27]

They will all be fine for a while, but they will likely not mature into adulthood peacefully. Just the fact there are 2 cockerels with a hen(s) involved will be trouble. Adding more hens would help, but in the end, unless you have 2 separate places to keep chickens, you'll likely need to reduce the flock by 1 cockerel.

 

[Mrs. K]

Generally speaking, rooster in my opinion, take quite a bit more room. Generally speaking people with small flocks of 5-6 birds, do not have enough room for even one rooster.

IMO you are wishing, wishing that we will tell you that if they are raised together, they will be life long friend and never fight or be mean to the pullet or hens. Wishing just does not work in chickens.

To have two roosters, I would recommend 20-30 hens. Flocks around a dozen do well with one rooster, if there is quite a bit of space. Flocks under 5 I would just keep hens.

If you have small children I would recommend no roosters, especially if they share a play area.

I would rehome both of them, and get two more pullets if at all possible. Too many roosters can cause a huge amount of stress in the flock and that is hard on the flock and you watching it.

Mrs K

 

[Carol McLaine]

I suspected that was what I was going to hear. I guess I need to start looking for a home for them. Just sad knowing they both will probably end up in somebody's stew pot.

 

[chrissynemetz]

It all depends on the roosters. Some would be fine in that situation, some TOTALLY wouldn't. You would have to try it and see, but be prepared to rehome them if necessary