Seperating my rooster

[Chickitas]

So we bought 6 chicks on april 3rd that were all sexed female. One has turned out to be a rooster. Though not a deal breaker for us, we are considering seperation with an adjacent pen and supervised time out with the ladies only, maybe shackle him to prevent mounting.

Im wondering if this would be okay for the rooster? I would plan on giving him a 4 foot, by 6 foot, by 4 or 6 feet tall. With a solid house complete with perch and his own wading pool for staying cool. He would be sharing a fence with the girls so he would see them constantly and only fully be alone while sleeping.

Ive also seen the chicken blinders but i know those are for pecking and probably wouldnt stop mating? I only mention it because it pops up when i google "how to prevent rooster from mounting/mating hens". I have also heard of puff balls that go on their backs but that sounds extremely uncomfortable.

If you have any experiencing succesfully preventing breeding between your chickens i would love to hear your solutions!

 

[sourland]

Better to rehome him than any of the other plans. Why are you intent on keeping him from breeding the hens? Eggs will not develop unless incubated.

 

[Sussex19]

I think the only way to prevent breeding is to have him separate, like you were thinking.
I wouldn't ever let him go with the girls, once he is separated, as over all that will just make it more stressful, and it takes a little while for pecking orders to be sorted out each time you put a any chicken in with other chickens. As long as he can see the others, he should be ok.

You do now that there's nothing wrong with eating fertile eggs, don't you? The only reason not to, would be if you are vegetarian, and it goes against your beliefs.
Which I understand if that is the case, but other then that they taste just the same, look just the same, and there is really no problem with them!

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

That seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to, when he could just be rehomed or eaten.

Rollaway nest boxes can also help prevent the hens from sitting on the eggs, so even if they are laying fertilized eggs, there would be no chance for them to start developing. I guess I'm not sure why it matters if he mates them, so long as they are not being injured or over bred.

Most of the "problems" people have with keeping roosters i.e crowing and possibly ...more crowing? Freeloading? Aggression or bad behavior? These are not going to go away by keeping them separated so elaborately, so I guess I am just having trouble understanding why you would want to keep him at all under such constraints.

Or again, as stated above, just keep him separated all together, but don't expect him to mix with the girls at all then. That would be simple enough!

 

[Chickitas]

Better to rehome him than any of the other plans. Why are you intent on keeping him from breeding the hens? Eggs will not develop unless incubated.

I was considering that but im worried about rehoming him to someone who will eat him. My grandma has chickens and some roosters out at a local horse club so thats always an option. I know they wont hatch unless incubated. I dont want the behavioral problems or feather damage to the hens. They are all big breeds but he is likely to be very big. I know its not a huge concern as with my last rooster and hens he was an angel. But every rooster is different and i wouldnt want him to experience chicken sex and then taking that from him. Lol

 

[Chickitas]

I think the only way to prevent breeding is to have him separate, like you were thinking.
I wouldn't ever let him go with the girls, once he is separated, as over all that will just make it more stressful, and it takes a little while for pecking orders to be sorted out each time you put a any chicken in with other chickens. As long as he can see the others, he should be ok.

You do now that there's nothing wrong with eating fertile eggs, don't you? The only reason not to, would be if you are vegetarian, and it goes against your beliefs.
Which I understand if that is the case, but other then that they taste just the same, look just the same, and there is really no problem with them!

Yeah i would defiently wouldnt want him just to breed willy nilly. Since all my hens are different breeds as well, if they are going to breed id prefer to track genetics.

Im not afraid of eating fertalized eggs! Lol i did with my last roosters and hens. I just dont like the broodiness that comes with constant breeding.

Plus i know nothing of this roosters temperment and i wouldnt want him to pass on aggression.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Yeah i would defiently wouldnt want him just to breed willy nilly. Since all my hens are different breeds as well, if they are going to breed id prefer to track genetics.

Im not afraid of eating fertalized eggs! Lol i did with my last roosters and hens. I just dont like the broodiness that comes with constant breeding.

Plus i know nothing of this roosters temperment and i wouldnt want him to pass on aggression.

If you don't want to breed mixed chickens, you simply don't have to set the eggs. Incubation is not going to happen by accident. Will they be kept in a free range situation where they may be able to hide a nest and sit on them for three weeks without you noticing?

 

[Chickitas]

That seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to, when he could just be rehomed or eaten.

Rollaway nest boxes can also help prevent the hens from sitting on the eggs, so even if they are laying fertilized eggs, there would be no chance for them to start developing. I guess I'm not sure why it matters if he mates them, so long as they are not being injured or over bred.

Most of the "problems" people have with keeping roosters i.e crowing and possibly ...more crowing? Freeloading? Aggression or bad behavior? These are not going to go away by keeping them separated so elaborately, so I guess I am just having trouble understanding why you would want to keep him at all under such constraints.

Or again, as stated above, just keep him separated all together, but don't expect him to mix with the girls at all then. That would be simple enough!

Yeah i understand all of what you are saying. But i love them like dogs (more even) and i just care about their welfaare more than anything. I have had roosters and hens before and they lived greatly together and i even ate the fertalized eggs so thats not even the issue.

I did already spend money on the non roll away boxes so that was dumb of me.

I guess im looking at them from more of a pet aspect and not livestock aspect. Responsible breeding and control on genetics is important to me.

 

[Chickitas]

If you don't want to breed mixed chickens, you simply don't have to set the eggs. Incubation is not going to happen by accident. Will they be kept in a free range situation where they may be able to hide a nest and sit on them for three weeks without you noticing?

Definetly wont be able to sneekily brooding behind my back, as they will lived enclosed and only be out while supervised. We live in city limits.

But i likewise dont want my hens to be constantly mounted.

 

[aart]

I just dont like the broodiness that comes with constant breeding.

Mating does not promote broodiness.