To keep or not to keep??

[Bgower91]

Back in July, I got 10 chickens. 3 of them ended up being roosters , so I have 7 hens to 3 roosters. Other than the typical pecking order theyre getting along. However, theyre only 12 weeks old at this point so I'm sure it will change. I need to make a decision on who stays and if I keep 1 or 2. I live in the country so keeping a rooster is not a problem.

Advice please! I raised all of them from babies and am super attached so this is hard.

1 of them is a brown leghorn and the other 2 are white crested polish.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

What are you looking for in a male?

 

[Bgower91]

Family friendly -- i have 2 kids and a 0 tolerance for aggressive roosters (I know what it feels like to be attacked by one lol). On the flip side though, he does have to be able to protect the flock as there are woods behind my house.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hmmm. Family wise, I'd say keep the two polish, but they will NOT be good protectors

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

Hmmm. Family wise, I'd say keep the two polish, but they will NOT be good protectors

x2, polish are absolute sweethearts but they are terrible at protecting. On the off chance they even see the predator, they probably couldn’t help. Maybe you could keep the leghorn and one polish?

 

[Cinnamon11]

x2, polish are absolute sweethearts but they are terrible at protecting. On the off chance they even see the predator, they probably couldn’t help. Maybe you could keep the leghorn and one polish?

I 2nd that!

 

[bobbi-j]

Honestly, while some roosters protect a flock, many often sound the alarm and run away. Hopefully the hens will follow. A rooster standing to fight a predator often just becomes a speed bump for a predator that will go after the hens after it kills the rooster. If it were my flock, I would just keep one of the cockerels. Probably the most mellow of the three since you have kids.

You may have a little time to figure out which one, or things could go south between them quickly. Your pullets will appreciate you keeping just one. Cockerels mature sooner, and they may gang up on the pullets to breed them.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I wouldn't keep a polish and the other male. It's very obvious the polish would be losing on every argument if he was lucky

 

[Vickischics]

What different breeds of Pullets do you have?
How many Polish Pullets do you have and what breed are they?
I see you have three Cockerels.
Two White Crested Polish
and One leg horn.
You mentioned kids and woods in your yard.
Do you have any dogs or other animals?
Do you Need to keep or just want to keep a Rooster?

 

[chrissynemetz]

With that number of pullets I wouldn't try to keep more than one cockerel.