Thoughts on cockerel management?

[PoppasGrill]

Hi. Perhaps it would help to understand that "to cull" is not a synonym for "to kill." To cull simply means to remove from the flock, by one means or another. It CAN mean dispatching the cockerels and sending them to "freezer camp," but it can also mean selling them or giving them away. If re-homing them, you may lose control over what happens to them. The new owner may or may not choose to eat them; you may never know. In any case, you no longer have to deal with whatever difficulties having too many cockerels or roosters has been causing you.

In our case, she is attached to every feather on every birb. I had someone who was willing to take them, but she wasn’t able to let them go. Been wearing her down though, and the girls have been working on her also to thin out the testosterone in the coop.

 

[RcoM]

In our case, she is attached to every feather on every birb. I had someone who was willing to take them, but she wasn’t able to let them go. Been wearing her down though, and the girls have been working on her also to thin out the testosterone in the coop.

Maybe re-home a couple. It makes your day when sold for breeding! I still keep in touch with new owners. Larger chooks like different ratios of hens. I find 4-5 per rooster is perfect. I could push it to a couple more but my fertility will go down as some hens "escape" attention. In my case, once I decided 2 Roos was perfect (esp when brothers) I just added the number of hens til they were happy. Or I let one go broody and hatch a couple more hens so we will be a balanced flock within 6 months. Pick out the favourite boys and go from there.

 

[Carontheroad]

I’m a little late to this thread but thought I would share our experience so far. We hatched 9 roosters and 11 pullets in the spring (4 months old now) plus we have 10 laying hens and 4 that no longer lay. We are in the process of determining which roosters to keep with the hens. What we do is they all roost together but in the morning around 6, I remove all the roosters to another part of the coop so the girls don’t get jumped in a confined space.

The girls then have until 9 am without the roos bothering them. We then let out 1 roo at a time and sit in the outdoor run to see how everyone interacts (roo to roo, roo to hen, roo to us). So far we have determined that 7 of the cockerels can cohabitate nicely with the flock. 2 we have separated due to aggression (roo to roo and roo to hen) until we can cull them. We plan to get down to 2-3 roos and put the others in a bachelor pad (except the 2 that are currently separated). We also take note who is roosting beside who in the evening to help determine compatability.

One of the roos that I initially thought would definitely be culled due to challenging me in the early days, seems to have learned his lessons and no longer shows any aggression. He tidbits nicely and doesn’t force himself on the hens. He also watches over them while they are nesting. He’s turned out to be in my top 3 to keep. My only issue with him is he is the one that starts crowing first in the mornings. Excessive crowers I put in a couple of cat cages and cover with a blanket until a more acceptable hour (for the neighbors) which does help. He’s the only one that makes what I think of as a chicken crying sound when put in the cage.

Some of the roos I don’t mind the sound of their crow, others are too loud or screechy. Does anyone every consider crowing sound quality when picking which roo to keep? Sometimes in the mornings I will sit in with the roosters to observe them and whenever one crows I pick him up (which they don’t like) hoping they learn that excessive crowing equals having to sit on the masters lap for a time out. So far, handling them in this manner has not produced any aggression towards me but it only works to reduce the crowing if I stay. Once I leave they are back at it. Putting on classical music for them seems to help quieten things down (my little experiment).

For the experienced rooster keepers, at what age would you say the cockerels begin to settle down and come off their raging hormone stage?

It’s very encouraging to hear that there are many different scenarios that are working for people. I think the best advice given so far is to go with what you see happening within your flock and make your decisions based on your observations. It really helps to sit amongst them now and then, you pick up alot more info about dynamics but keep in mind that your presence also changes things.

Roosters sure are interesting!

 

[Carontheroad]

How do you quote someone in blue when responding? I can’t figure it out. Anyway, the OP wanted to know what else can be done to manage aggressive behaviours. I found that grabbing the comb and holding on to it when the cockerel goes to peck you worked well. Let him struggle a bit to get free before you let go. Also do not let him follow you, turn around and confront him, he is planning to attack. Holding them down on the ground or grabbing the feathers on their neck and giving them a bit of a shake also helps.

Some people will hold the chicken upside down for a bit while walking around with them. I tried it once but I’ve heard that they can’t breathe that way because they have no diaphragm so their organs push on their lungs (that’s why they quieten down). I haven’t checked further to see if this is true.

If you haven’t read Shadrach’s article yet on “Understanding Your Rooster”, it is well worth a read.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

How do you quote someone in blue when responding? I can’t figure it out…

Click the Reply button at the bottom right of the specific message you’re replying to, NOT the Quote button, and their post will automatically show with the blue background.

Then when you start your post, make sure first that the cursor is outside the blue box. If it’s inside, your reply will be buried in what they wrote.

The Quote button is used to reply to multiple messages at a time.

 

[Carontheroad]

Click the Reply button at the bottom right of the specific message you’re replying to, NOT the Quote button, and their post will automatically show with the blue background.

Then when you start your post, make sure first that the cursor is outside the blue box. If it’s inside, your reply will be buried in what they wrote.

The Quote button is used to reply to multiple messages at a time.

Thanks! So I guess you edit the blue background if you just want to highlight a portion of the person’s message?

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Thanks! So I guess you edit the blue background if you just want to highlight a portion of the person’s message?

Yep, exactly. Well, the text in the blue background anyway.

 

[RcoM]

I’m a little late to this thread but thought I would share our experience so far. We hatched 9 roosters and 11 pullets in the spring (4 months old now) plus we have 10 laying hens and 4 that no longer lay. We are in the process of determining which roosters to keep with the hens. What we do is they all roost together but in the morning around 6, I remove all the roosters to another part of the coop so the girls don’t get jumped in a confined space.

The girls then have until 9 am without the roos bothering them. We then let out 1 roo at a time and sit in the outdoor run to see how everyone interacts (roo to roo, roo to hen, roo to us). So far we have determined that 7 of the cockerels can cohabitate nicely with the flock. 2 we have separated due to aggression (roo to roo and roo to hen) until we can cull them. We plan to get down to 2-3 roos and put the others in a bachelor pad (except the 2 that are currently separated). We also take note who is roosting beside who in the evening to help determine compatability.

One of the roos that I initially thought would definitely be culled due to challenging me in the early days, seems to have learned his lessons and no longer shows any aggression. He tidbits nicely and doesn’t force himself on the hens. He also watches over them while they are nesting. He’s turned out to be in my top 3 to keep. My only issue with him is he is the one that starts crowing first in the mornings. Excessive crowers I put in a couple of cat cages and cover with a blanket until a more acceptable hour (for the neighbors) which does help. He’s the only one that makes what I think of as a chicken crying sound when put in the cage.

Some of the roos I don’t mind the sound of their crow, others are too loud or screechy. Does anyone every consider crowing sound quality when picking which roo to keep? Sometimes in the mornings I will sit in with the roosters to observe them and whenever one crows I pick him up (which they don’t like) hoping they learn that excessive crowing equals having to sit on the masters lap for a time out. So far, handling them in this manner has not produced any aggression towards me but it only works to reduce the crowing if I stay. Once I leave they are back at it. Putting on classical music for them seems to help quieten things down (my little experiment).

For the experienced rooster keepers, at what age would you say the cockerels begin to settle down and come off their raging hormone stage?

It’s very encouraging to hear that there are many different scenarios that are working for people. I think the best advice given so far is to go with what you see happening within your flock and make your decisions based on your observations. It really helps to sit amongst them now and then, you pick up alot more info about dynamics but keep in mind that your presence also changes things.

Roosters sure are interesting!

Love all that! Mine like classical hymns in the morning- settles them! They crow when they are warning about something in the environment or wanting me to get up and feed them or expecting somebody to be up by that time of the morning i.e. usual time. Yes – most crows are beautiful but some are awful. Some are too loud.
The frequent crow was may settle down as they get used to their environment, don't need to compete for hens as much and are used to the various noises which are not threats. I have started putting food in the night before so that they don't wake me up calling for their tidbits. Using the gentle And ignore them handling methods, my 14-year-old son today managed my 18 month old rooster like a charm. I was so proud of him. Textbook perfect when the rooster ran up. I think their hormones are pretty bad in the first spring between six months and 10 months old and then they start to settle down, work with their owners better and stop stressing out their hens they learn that if they don't behave, they don't get cooperation this includes from their ladies.

 

[Carontheroad]

Love all that! Mine like classical hymns in the morning- settles them! They crow when they are warning about something in the environment or wanting me to get up and feed them or expecting somebody to be up by that time of the morning i.e. usual time. Yes – most crows are beautiful but some are awful. Some are too loud.
The frequent crow was may settle down as they get used to their environment, don't need to compete for hens as much and are used to the various noises which are not threats. I have started putting food in the night before so that they don't wake me up calling for their tidbits. Using the gentle And ignore them handling methods, my 14-year-old son today managed my 18 month old rooster like a charm. I was so proud of him. Textbook perfect when the rooster ran up. I think their hormones are pretty bad in the first spring between six months and 10 months old and then they start to settle down, work with their owners better and stop stressing out their hens they learn that if they don't behave, they don't get cooperation this includes from their ladies.

I’ve read that having an older rooster helps to teach the young cockerels. Shadrach’s article “Understanding your rooster” mentions a mating charge that can be mistaken for aggression. The rooster runs at you with head low and wings outspread. It is mostly seen in response to an escort call from a hen. I have not seen that yet but if a cockerel/rooster runs at me like that I won’t get too worried.

I leave food out for the morning as well but only in the section where I put the roosters in the morning to keep them inside until a more decent hour for the neighbors. It doesn’t help with their crowing because I think they want to be on the hen side. Once they are down to 2-3 I’ll let them stay with the hens but right now it’s too many in a confined space, the hens can’t get away until the pop door opens.

An interesting observation yesterday. We separated the cockerels from the hens/pullets for 2 days (except at roost) because they were chasing the hens too much. They could see the hens but not be with them except after the hens had roosted at night then they could join them. So yesterday we slowly let them back in with the girls and they were really good to the hens. Even the hens that were staying inside before were comfortable being outside and near the cockerels. We did not expect them to be so well behaved so I wonder if they are “teachable”.
During the daytime separation, the roosting behaviour changed as well. The hens no longer allowed the cockerels on their roost and so they roosted with the pullets. Last night some were allowed back on the hen’s roost.

From what you say, it sounds like the worst is yet to come because mine are only 17 weeks. But they seem to have started everything early, including crowing. They lived out in the coop from day olds but separated from the older birds for 9-10 weeks if I recall correctly. They will hit their 6 to 10 month age during the winter so hopefully that will help. I hear spring is another hormone time.

Chicken psychology is fascinating… Bachelor coop almost ready so hopefully that brings some peace.

I culled my first rooster yesterday and processed him. He wasn’t fitting in with the flock and had to keep him separated. I’m relieved to have this difficult task behind me.

 

[RcoM]

I’ve read that having an older rooster helps to teach the young cockerels. Shadrach’s article “Understanding your rooster” mentions a mating charge that can be mistaken for aggression. The rooster runs at you with head low and wings outspread. It is mostly seen in response to an escort call from a hen. I have not seen that yet but if a cockerel/rooster runs at me like that I won’t get too worried.

I leave food out for the morning as well but only in the section where I put the roosters in the morning to keep them inside until a more decent hour for the neighbors. It doesn’t help with their crowing because I think they want to be on the hen side. Once they are down to 2-3 I’ll let them stay with the hens but right now it’s too many in a confined space, the hens can’t get away until the pop door opens.

An interesting observation yesterday. We separated the cockerels from the hens/pullets for 2 days (except at roost) because they were chasing the hens too much. They could see the hens but not be with them except after the hens had roosted at night then they could join them. So yesterday we slowly let them back in with the girls and they were really good to the hens. Even the hens that were staying inside before were comfortable being outside and near the cockerels. We did not expect them to be so well behaved so I wonder if they are “teachable”.
During the daytime separation, the roosting behaviour changed as well. The hens no longer allowed the cockerels on their roost and so they roosted with the pullets. Last night some were allowed back on the hen’s roost.

From what you say, it sounds like the worst is yet to come because mine are only 17 weeks. But they seem to have started everything early, including crowing. They lived out in the coop from day olds but separated from the older birds for 9-10 weeks if I recall correctly. They will hit their 6 to 10 month age during the winter so hopefully that will help. I hear spring is another hormone time.

Chicken psychology is fascinating… Bachelor coop almost ready so hopefully that brings some peace.

I culled my first rooster yesterday and processed him. He wasn’t fitting in with the flock and had to keep him separated. I’m relieved to have this difficult task behind me.

Good on you for doing that! One day. I'll have to process as well; I am sure. Yes, they are definitely teachable. I am glad to know that separating them helped. Many call it "rooster gaol/jail" and I wondered if that ever worked...