Separating Roos and Hens

[tulie13]

I've got a dilemma, need to get rid of several roos and make a decision on how many/what kind to get and try to keep. I have BO, EE, and SS hens, and I have 8 RIR roos. When it's all said and done, I'll have 22 hens, and I have my eye on 3-4 roos.

My friend who got chicks from the same batch as me has a beautiful BO roo, and 2 EE roos that are GORGEOUS, too! But I know RIR would make some good crosses with my girls. So - here's my question:

If I build a small, separate enclosure big enough to house 3 birds, could I put 3 roos in there by themselves with no hens? I have heard that if they are housed separately from the hens they don't fight, because they aren't "fighting over the hens" - nobody is getting the hens. Would that work?

Could I keep FOUR roos, and house 3 separately, and rotate them out to allow different breeding combos? If so, do the 3 roos need to be out of visual distance from the hens, so they don't get upset and start fighting, etc.?

I would LOVE to keep one of my RIR's, plus get the BO and 2 EE roos. But I know there would still be some fighting, plus 4 roos and only 22 hens isn't a great ratio!!!

I could do it temporarily, see who is nice, and depending on the answer to my question about separate "boys dorm housing", keep or get rid of who I don't like or at least keep them separated until I want some babies from that bird...
I'm just a gigolo, and everywhere I go...

 

[ve]

I am doing some thing like that but I have coop for every roo because if once separate them for more then 2 weeks they will fight when you put thogeder.

 

[HBuehler]

My Roo's live together 24/7 they only leave when we decide to let them "marry" a hen

I have kids!! I have 9 living together some are older and rest are early Spring roos. They don't fight...probably less than the hens do with each other.At night they have a large coop with a roost and day is a big fenced pasture area. If they want alone time they just go off to their own space. I have read that 2 will fight so it's better to have more then they can't establish as much-mine do have a pecking order though.May or may not be true but a great excuse to get more Chickens

My Roos are in the middle of all of the hens...pastures and coops they can keep watch all the time.
That said I won't have an ill mannered Roo. When I introduce a new roo they get the same treatment a hen would get in the hen pasture-chased around a bit a feather pulled out but never blood or injury and a day later all are friends.

Oh if your worried about that ratio..one your fertility would without a doubt be high or two buy more chickens

 

[AK Michelle]

We hatched some eggs and lo-and-behold, some were roos.

Well, I don't plan on hatching any of my own eggs so the roos are just waiting to plump up before going in the freezer.

I have moved them out of the coop and for now they are in a kennel while I build them their very own temporary run. They had already tussled and established their pecking order and now they all just hang out together.

I have 9 in a 4 X 6 kennel for a few days while I get their run made. The girls get turned out in the run for a bit, then go back in the coop while the boys get the same run for a bit. Kind of a hastle right now but the best I could do on short notice.

So far, no fighting, although they did stop crowing. Not sure what that's all about.

 

[Buckguy20]

Sometimes it will work and sometimes it won't.
It depends a lot on breed and individual birds too.
If you do put them in a seperate pen it works best if it is away from where the hens are.
My Gold Campines live together well but some other breeds fight too much.
There is no concrete answer so just try it and see what happens. It might take a few hours for the pecking order to be established once they are rehoused.
Plus it is harder if you bring in outside birds.