Small flock with one rooster

[Geira]

I recently started my flock and as a compromise with my husband, promised to keep it small. I had six chickens and two turned out to be roosters. These were big black Australorp roosters who were actually pretty laid back but I was really concerned about having two roosters and only four hens. Today, I was able to rehome one of them to a lovely family who recently lost their rooster who was protecting his hens from a hawk. Now I have the four girls and one really friendly, laid back lad who really does not seem to bother the girls at all though that may change now that he is the only boy. I read that the success of any ratio of roosters to hens really depended on the rooster. Some in my introductory feed had mentioned 2 roosters with one hen for instance, and that was totally fine. With my laid back boy, again that might change now that he is the only he and as he gets older as he is only 17 weeks, I wonder if my four GLW will be fine or if they'll still end up harassed.

 

[SkyAJK]

...My experience with 1 rooster and 6 hens were rather tatted, the over mating and my rooster prefer 1 hen over the rest and her feather was so badly damage. My rooster used to be house next to the hens. seeing only and mingle a few hours a day. This worked out fine, the hens were happy and he also very close to them and sort of able to protect them in some ways..alert them of danger...there isn't any real danger for them anyway.

Then, for 2 months I had knee operation unable to move and my family let them mingle and my hens looked so bad, so very bad.

My view about your situation is that....if you can find way to manage the ratio, separation mostly, being very close but not close enough to do the damage then your hens will be fine. The work is on you. Find your way of going about this, hit and mix kind of process. Chicken keeping is continue evolving process.

My rooster used to do his mating thing in the morning before 10am and from 4pm, so he kind of cool off during the day, foraging and talking to his flock. I know his schedule

All the best with your flock.

 

[Geira]

...My experience with 1 rooster and 6 hens were rather tatted, the over mating and my rooster prefer 1 hen over the rest and her feather was so badly damage. My rooster used to be house next to the hens. seeing only and mingle a few hours a day. This worked out fine, the hens were happy and he also very close to them and sort of able to protect them in some ways..alert them of danger...there isn't any real danger for them anyway.

Then, for 2 months I had knee operation unable to move and my family let them mingle and my hens looked so bad, so very bad.

My view about your situation is that....if you can find way to manage the ratio, separation mostly, being very close but not close enough to do the damage then your hens will be fine. The work is on you. Find your way of going about this, hit and mix kind of process. Chicken keeping is continue evolving process.

My rooster used to do his mating thing in the morning before 10am and from 4pm, so he kind of cool off during the day, foraging and talking to his flock. I know his schedule

All the best with your flock.

They all have the same hatch date and were raised together in the brooder. They have always been together. So far, he's been the perfect gentleman. The girls pick on each other more than he bothers them. But again, that could change now that his brother, who would go after the girls a little, is gone and he's the man of the house so to speak. I don't know. I'm so new to chicken keeping that I have no experience to fall back on.

 

[Mrs. K]

I wonder if my four GLW will be fine or if they'll still end up harassed.

Roosters are a crap shoot, and many a darling boy has turned into a nightmare...however, not all of them.

No one can predict which way yours will go. Be aware, don't make excuses such as "wore the wrong shoes, moved to fast, upset his hens".

Watch your girls. Do they want to roost beside him, do they hang on his every cluck, do treats taste better when he has found them? Well then you have a winner. Do note that bare back hens bother people more than they bother hens. I would not cull based only on that.

If your girls are hiding in the coop, staying roosted up most of the day, screech and race desperately to get away...well that is not working out.

If he fluffs up when you come by, if he gives you the evil eye, if he sneaks behind you. If he approaches you when you have something in your arms, or are bent over getting something on the ground, if he crows incessantly when you come in to the run...well that is not going to work out either.

ALWAYS beware of a rooster if you have children under the age of 6. If you have children under the age of six, and they share the same yard, I would remove this rooster too. Roosters tend to attack children first - can be in the face.

Mrs K

 

[Ridgerunner]

You do not get guarantees with living animals. Anything can happen. Those four may be fine with him, they may not.

Your highest risk is when they are immature. At some point that cockerel will want to mate the girls. Things may go really smooth or they may get fairly hectic. If you can get through that phase, they usually outgrow that as he and the girls mature and things become very peaceful. Usually does not mean always but I've had great success with a ratio of 1 to 6.

To me ratio is not important. Some people have disasters with a ratio of 1 to 20 while others have no problems with a ratio of 1 to 2.
My suggestion is to try it and see what happens. Have a place ready where you can isolate him if you need to but just see what happens.

He will mate with them at some point. That may bother you, especially as you have no experience on what to expect. If you are really that worried just rehome him. You are supposed to enjoy your chickens, not make yourself sick worrying about it. It's not worth it.

 

[SkyAJK]

They all have the same hatch date and were raised together in the brooder. They have always been together. So far, he's been the perfect gentleman. The girls pick on each other more than he bothers them. But again, that could change now that his brother, who would go after the girls a little, is gone and he's the man of the house so to speak. I don't know. I'm so new to chicken keeping that I have no experience to fall back on.

Like Mrs.K says, rooster changes....

Enjoy him while he is a baby, and remember he is a rooster, he has a job to do to protect his flock so that comes with all entails.....and whatever his perception of his environment is, he will act accordingly.

Remember once he grows a spurs, that will cause blood if he attacks.

Love him and beware also.

 

[Geira]

Roosters are a crap shoot, and many a darling boy has turned into a nightmare...however, not all of them.

No one can predict which way yours will go. Be aware, don't make excuses such as "wore the wrong shoes, moved to fast, upset his hens".

Watch your girls. Do they want to roost beside him, do they hang on his every cluck, do treats taste better when he has found them? Well then you have a winner. Do note that bare back hens bother people more than they bother hens. I would not cull based only on that.

If your girls are hiding in the coop, staying roosted up most of the day, screech and race desperately to get away...well that is not working out.

If he fluffs up when you come by, if he gives you the evil eye, if he sneaks behind you. If he approaches you when you have something in your arms, or are bent over getting something on the ground, if he crows incessantly when you come in to the run...well that is not going to work out either.

ALWAYS beware of a rooster if you have children under the age of 6. If you have children under the age of six, and they share the same yard, I would remove this rooster too. Roosters tend to attack children first - can be in the face.

Mrs K

Thanks for that. The hens root around in the yard with him and sit under the coop and loaf with him. There is never any issues with any kind of food aggression. They all eat out of my hand and if I'm surrounded by the girls he just hangs in the back until there's an opening. He has never attacked me and my grandsons, 7 and autistic, and 4, both have hand fed him. He actually pecks more gently and less aggressively than the girls do. He greets me and follows me with a lot of clucking and bucking and the girls will follow him. He doesn't care if I'm in the run at all and I can pick him up and check his feathers without any issues. As I say, he's a gentleman. I just don't know if that will change or not. Even with his brother around, the whole flock was peaceful and foraged together. No fighting whatsoever. Maybe figured out the pecking order in the brooder? I just hope it stays the way it is.

 

[Geira]

You do not get guarantees with living animals. Anything can happen. Those four may be fine with him, they may not.

Your highest risk is when they are immature. At some point that cockerel will want to mate the girls. Things may go really smooth or they may get fairly hectic. If you can get through that phase, they usually outgrow that as he and the girls mature and things become very peaceful. Usually does not mean always but I've had great success with a ratio of 1 to 6.

To me ratio is not important. Some people have disasters with a ratio of 1 to 20 while others have no problems with a ratio of 1 to 2.
My suggestion is to try it and see what happens. Have a place ready where you can isolate him if you need to but just see what happens.

He will mate with them at some point. That may bother you, especially as you have no experience on what to expect. If you are really that worried just rehome him. You are supposed to enjoy your chickens, not make yourself sick worrying about it. It's not worth it.

I was more worried with two rooster than I am now. I am more concerned about being able to keep my one rooster. I really like him and so far he's actually pretty sweet. Will come up and sit in the chair next to me. Lots of personality but no signs of aggression at this point anyway. Fingers crossed he continues to be a gentleman and doesn't turn into the chicken equivalent of Holden Caulfield.

 

[Mrs. K]

Those are good signs, but not guarantees. However, if he remains like that for the next 3 months - well that is a good sign.

Be very aware, unexperienced people often times do not pick up on the cues he is getting aggressive until he attacks. BE AWARE.

MRs K

 

[Geira]

What would I be looking for? Don't want to be attacked by him. He's a big boy already.