Split flock or say goodbye to 2nd rooster?

[Cluckatar]

I'm hoping someone with more experience with roosters can give us advice. We kept hens for about seven years, but back a few years ago. We've now moved to a more rural area and have a couple of acres and have been raising chicks this spring. We decided to include a rooster in our flock this time, but as these things go, it seems like we probably have two.

The flock is three silver cuckoo marans, one of which is clearly male and a family favorite. He's sweet, has been handled daily and my teenage daughter loves him.

And raised with them from day one are four snowy easter eggers, also one seeming to be male. He is already more of a trouble-maker, isn't very nice to the smallest hen who is quite little, despite being the same age. Our previous EE's were very sweet hens, so we've been surprised at how flighty this bunch are. The marans are the nice ones in this group for sure.

From a flock management perspective, does it make sense to split up two small groups? I've also considered leaving things as is and trying to rehome the snowy rooster. Could he be a pullet and solve my problem? He is in the center of the second pic.

 

[Cluckatar]

Forgot to mention, they are 7 weeks old currently.

 

[Folly's place]

I'd favor the Marans cockerel, although it's early to really be sure about temperament. As a breeding prospect he seems like a better choice; Marans offspring, and maybe olive eggers from your EE hens next year.
Plan ahead; are you going to try raising your own chicks next year? Do you really want two breeding groups? And what if either cockerel turns into a human aggressive jerk?
It's possible to have flockmates get along, if they have lots of space, and decide to be polite to each other. Or not, and fighting can get ugly overnight sometimes. And while adolescent cockerels with same age pullets can be overbearing, having one that's (so far!) a nice guy is definitely a plus in his favor.
Mary

 

[afieldssnowyegger]

Where’d you get the snowy EEs?

 

[afieldssnowyegger]

I have three 8 wk old Snowy EE’s from My Pet Chicken and I’m suspecting that one is a boy. Could you post a picture of your suspect so that I can compare to mine?

 

[afieldssnowyegger]

Although my boy(?) is very sweet. But s/he is much larger than the others with more comb development, large feet, and a big tail. Which is why I’m suspecting she is not a girl

 

[Cluckatar]

Mine are also from My Pet Chicken. He is in the picture above, in the center with the upright tail.

 

[afieldssnowyegger]

Looks just like mine! Do you have any close up pics of his comb? Sorry, lol, I know I’m asking a lot.

 

[Cluckatar]

This is from a week ago, but you can see his movement a bit, the tail angle.

 

[afieldssnowyegger]

Wow... that’s exactly like mine when s/he was 6 weeks old (I believe that’s about the same as that pic)... my other two snowy’s are girls, and they are smaller, and barely have any comb at all. I assume your Snowy EE girls look different too?