Too many Ron's!?

[ILuvMyFlock]

I am done explaining, I don't answer people who goad, I only answer people who have real questions. So no I will not explain the post that people are referencing to say that I am somehow a hypocrite, nice try though.

 

[bobbi-j]

So I have a young flock ranging from 4 to 10 weeks old. I have 15 in total probably 8 hens and the rest roosters from what I can tell so far. 3 are black star sex link roosters for sure. So I'm wondering what is the rule for how many roosters can and should be kept? Has anyone had any success keeping more than one rooster? What are the pros and cons? Chickens are kept in a barn/coop with plenty of room at night and free range during the day. My 5 known hens are larger and older at 10 weeks old. The rest are Easter Eggers and RIR around 4 weeks old sex unknown for sure but suspected there's more than one rooster in that bunch also. Thanks in advance for help opinions and advice.

I am so sorry that your question got swallowed up in all the drama. I hope you're still checking in. I currently have two roosters and 16 hens. (I started out with 23 chickens going into the winter, but a mink found her way into one of my coops.) Each rooster is housed with 8 hens, but they all free range together. They are in separate coops because I didn't want to overcrowd my birds over the winter.

I have, in the past, kept over a dozen cockerels/roosters in a bachelor/grow out pen. It worked just fine, and they were in full view of the pullets and able to interact with them through the fence. They were only kept this way until butchering day, so just for a few months. I'm not sure how it would work long term. I have never kept more roosters than necessary - just my way of managing my flock. I don't wish to house and feed a bunch of chickens just because they're pretty.

Are you planning on keeping them long term, or just until they're big enough to process? Once they reach sexual maturity, you will want to have a plan in place so you can act swiftly. A few years ago, I ordered straight run heavies and ended up with 1/2 cockerels. Once their hormones hit, those poor pullets were harassed mercilessly by all those randy cockerels. They couldn't eat, drink or dust bathe, because if they stood still one or more was trying to breed them. At least is sure seemed that way... Peace reigned once I locked those boys up.

 

[VeggieGoneEggie]

@ILuvMyFlock For what it's worth, I think you're feelings on the matter are totally natural and normal! And I'm glad to hear you have success at keeping multiple roos together.

I'm raising my first chicks right now and nervously watching for those sex-identifying traits that will let me know how many are definitely girls vs. boys (I've got at least a few weeks to go, my fingernails are bitten down, ugh!). And I've been weighing what I would do if I have any cockerels.

I've finally settled on FIRST trying to keep as many as I have and figure out how to manage it, and if that doesn't work... then SECOND attempt to find a new home for the rooster(s) to live out their days in a bigger flock... and then LAST RESORT, especially for any young roos that are particularly aggressive or difficult to place, I think I'd rather just have a veterinarian euthanize him - same as I would do with a dog in that situation - then send him somewhere he'll be slaughtered and butchered. That's just what I'm most comfortable with. And I'm blessed enough to have the means to feed and care for "non-productive" animals (lord knows my dogs don't hold their own).

And my take comes from actually the other end of the spectrum seen in this thread... I *am* vegan.

Went vegetarian in 2009 (when it stuck - I'd been off and on through college), then vegan in 2010. No meat (incl. seafood), no eggs, no diary. And I'll advocate the crap out of it for those who are interested, but I generally refrain from evangelizing to those who are not interested (looks like most people here, ha!). There have been several factors that have led me to decide to bring a small flock of chickens into my life, but I just don't think it's an ethical option for me to kill and eat animals. When my chickens get sick/injured, I do plan to invest resources into veterinary care - and if that fails, then euthanasia. Again, I'm lucky to have to resources to do so. I don't think feeling that way -- and encouraging others to try to keep their roosters for any reason -- should exclude anyone from an online community where people help each other and share they joy that chickens bring to their worlds. And I would hope folks don't take this perspective as an attack on theirs if they think differently.

But anyway, that is off-topic. But if and when I end up with more than one roo, I'll be hitting you up for more details on how to possibly set up a separate bachelor pad and try to let the boys live a long healthy life scratching and dust-bathing and clucking/crowing just like the girls.

 

[ILuvMyFlock]

@ILuvMyFlock
 For what it's worth, I think you're feelings on the matter are totally natural and normal! And I'm glad to hear you have success at keeping multiple roos together.

I'm raising my first chicks right now and nervously watching for those sex-identifying traits that will let me know how many are definitely girls vs. boys (I've got at least a few weeks to go, my fingernails are bitten down, ugh!). And I've been weighing what I would do if I have any cockerels.

I've finally settled on FIRST trying to keep as many as I have and figure out how to manage it, and if that doesn't work... then SECOND attempt to find a new home for the rooster(s) to live out their days in a bigger flock... and then LAST RESORT, especially for any young roos that are particularly aggressive or difficult to place, I think I'd rather just have a veterinarian euthanize him - same as I would do with a dog in that situation - then send him somewhere he'll be slaughtered and butchered. That's just what I'm most comfortable with. And I'm blessed enough to have the means to feed and care for "non-productive" animals (lord knows my dogs don't hold their own).

And my take comes from actually the other end of the spectrum seen in this thread... I *am* vegan.    Went vegetarian in 2009 (when it stuck - I'd been off and on through college), then vegan in 2010. No meat (incl. seafood), no eggs, no diary. And I'll advocate the crap out of it for those who are interested, but I generally refrain from evangelizing to those who are not interested (looks like most people here, ha!). There have been several factors that have led me to decide to bring a small flock of chickens into my life, but I just don't think it's an ethical option for me to kill and eat animals. I don't think feeling that way -- and encouraging others to try to keep their roosters for any reason -- should exclude anyone from an online community where people help each other and share they joy that chickens bring to their worlds.

But anyway, that is off-topic. But if and when I end up with more than one roo, I'll be hitting you up for more details on how to possibly set up a separate bachelor pad and try to let the boys live a long healthy life scratching and dust-bathing and clucking/crowing just like the girls.

Thank you for being so kind and understanding.

I have never had to cull or rehome a roo yet, but there's no shame in having to rehome one. I buy well and hatch straight run, I let nature decide and run its course. I must admit most seem to come out Roos but they do get along with each other quite well. The Roos do give back, they keep the hens and the yard safe. They let all the other flock know when a hawk or a predator comes near. I honestly couldn't imagine my life without my Roosters. I go on Craigslist all the time offering to buy up Roosters in hopes of saving them from being culled since most people cull Roosters for being a rooster. I have acquired a few amazing Roosters this way. I have a full grown rooster I named Kellogg's, he's such a sweetheart, he lives under a flowering bush with the younger teen Roos. The owner could not keep Roosters where he lives so I took him in. I also got another full grown rooster named Prince in memory of the singer, he's beautiful I thought he was a cream legbar but now I think he's a rhodebar but anyway he lives under another flowering bush as well, he can be loving but territorial but it's understandable he is waiting to be accepted in the group of older Roos so that's probably why. I have many others as well. Truly every one of my Roos are special they each have their own unique personalities.

Most of my birds are now mixed breeds accept for the few I had originally when I first started breeding and some I bought or was given later on. I have a few generations, I just love seeing what the mixes turn out to look like. I'm guessing I have at least 20 Roos or more now? I had more but sadly possums and hawks got some of them. I think I have around 30 hens or so as well. I raise other birds too - turkeys, ducks, geese, and guineas. I also keep exotic birds indoors as well. Anyway I am doctoring a hen now, she got hit by my Husky sadly, she's doing fine now at first I thought she wouldn't make it. I stitched her, and I used some things on her wounds, I bandaged her up, and gave her some Advil. Now she's perfectly fine thankfully. I recently also had to Doctor some weak geese due to a storm most survived only one died. I bring in any bird or animal inside that gets weak or sick like.

My birds are truly like family I love them all, even including my Roos. <3 Most of my birds are pretty tame, some you can pet, and some you can even hold. Out of all of my birds the turkeys are the tamest, but I do have some Roos that allow me to hold them as well. I have a few different turkey breeds and I recommend the white midgets as they seek me out it's the cutest thing ever. Back to Roos and chickens I have a few breeds and mixes and the RIRs are a wonderful friendly breed. I had a silkie too I truly loved but sadly he got taken away by a vermin, anyway he liked me and stuff but when I'd wear these orange Sandles that had gems he'd attack it was so cute! I just let him do it and it made me laugh. Sadly most would have culled him over something as silly as that. Same thing with my male Turkey I have now he lets me hold him but if I wear certain colors like reds and blues he attacks, even then I could never cull him because I know the truth he's a sweetheart and those colors just make him think I'm another male tom or something. I'm a firm believer that animals are like us in a lot of ways, if we can get grumpy then why can't they? I try to show compassion and understanding when my flock has their ups and downs. I make sure to always say I love you to them and if they get grumpy I tell em hey it's okay I love you and I understand. I know that may sound goofy to some but I don't mind...

My dream and wish is that more people will be like me and at least give the Roosters a shot, realize that they do give back, they give love, and protection. I love waking up to their crows, then walking outside to them and my other birds running towards me to greet me. Seeing them all there brings a smile to my face. I've been through a lot of heartache I lost my mom in 2011 to suicide she was truly my rock and my best friend... these birds are my family they have helped me through all of that, and they help me with my Tourette's and so forth. I don't talk a lot about the things I've been through but I can say with great passion that I stand by who I am and what I do. Hardships shape us and make us who we are, I'm a firm believer in that. I'm compassionate and understanding because of what I've endured. I've seen many animals slaughtered over silly stuff. When I was a teen I saw rowdy boys stone a dog over killing chickens, I begged them to stop and they did not, sadly they left the dog seizing and my uncle had to shoot the dog. I've seen other things too and I vow to never ever kill / cull anything.

 

[Red5]

A general guideline is 10 hens per one rooster. Cockerels mature sooner than the pullets, which can lead to very stressed out pullets. Cockerels that grow up without any mature hens to keep them in line as they mature tend to be more problematic. Cockerels are not really a great idea for first timers, either.
If you really just can't stand the idea of rehoming them or having them end up becoming dinner, then you can build them a bachelor coop and run, out of sight of the females.

Thank you for that bit of good advice. I'd applause you but I'm over my limit

 

[ILuvMyFlock]

@VeggiegoneEggie I'm all ears if you ever need to talk by the way. Oh and as for taking birds to the vet I so agree! I've even taken one of my turkeys to the vet, and the vet said she was the tamest turkey they've ever saw, in fact they asked my permission if they could take a pic with her for Facebook and I said sure go ahead.

 

[junebuggena]

Thank you for that bit of good advice. I'd applause you but I'm over my limit

I've had cockerels that grew up without mature hens around. NEVER AGAIN. Those older ladies might not crank out the eggs like they used to, but they are worth their weight in gold when it comes to dealing with those hormone driven boys. Those cockerels grow up to the most respectful, gentlemanly roosters.

 

[DuckLady]

This thread has veered way off topic. Apologies are due to the OP, who hopefully had their question answered before the arguing started.