Too many roos?

[Ladies of the Forest]

These three handsome boys are now 9 months old. I’ve advertised EVERYWHERE for free rooster give-away to an egg-laying flock, with no response. It looks like they’ll be living here forever. And that’s okay with me because they’re sweethearts! But the worry is the hen-to-rooster ratio. So far, no bloody rooster fights, no hen injuries, none of the bad stuff you read about. I’m getting more pullets next month and am thinking of making two separate flocks for the roosters to share, as they seem to all get along so well. Am I crazy? Does anybody else exceed recommended rooster ratios, with no bad outcomes? Am I being delusional in thinking that this can work? I have no crystal ball to see the future, so I’m hoping I hear from some BYC members who exceed rooster counts and have no bad stories to share. Thanks for all of your help and stay safe

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have 3 males with about 12 hens, but 2 are younger and the other is without a doubt head honcho so he keeps them in line. One has started making his own flock of 3 from that group and the other seems content so far to sneak breeds when the head one is busy. But we'll see next spring when love is in the air

 

[Ridgerunner]

Does anybody else exceed recommended rooster ratios,

I don't exceed them, I ignore them. I just don't believe there is any magic in these numbers when it comes to chickens and their behavior.

with no bad outcomes?

What do you consider a bad outcome? To me it means that no chicken gets injured or dead. Some people freak out when a cockerel or rooster mates a pullet or hen, sometimes even if the pullet or hen doesn't object. I remember one post on here when a woman bragged about getting the shotgun and offing a neighbor's rooster because he was raping one of her hens. For behavior that I consider normal and probably happens several times a day in may of out flocks she handed out a death sentence. Expectations.

When you have a flock of chickens, one will be dominant. That's whether you have a flock of all girls, all boys, or a mixed flock. Sometimes determining which is dominant can be a fight to the death, sometimes you don't even notice it but they will know.

Regardless of the ratio you "can" have barebacked girls or girls that are stressed from too much attention from the boys. "Can" is an important word. It doesn't mean you "will".

There can be bad outcomes, even to me. I have removed males and sometimes females from my flock when I thought they were contributing to behaviors or outcomes I don't approve of. I think your expectations and what is acceptable has a lot to do with whether an outcome is bad or not, but I certainly have my limits.

Am I being delusional in thinking that this can work?

If you are delusional then people have been for thousands of years. Other than your expectations I think the personality of your individual chickens, male and female, has a part to play. To a large extent that is luck, but I try to help that luck along by removing any that creates drama in the flock. Any of them, boy or girl.

I believe a huge part of it is how much room you have. The tighter they are packed the worse behavioral problems usually are. When they finish maturing what often happens is that different males stake out a certain territory and attract their own harem. These territories are best when they cant see each other. That's the kind of room I'm talking about, out of sight. You can improve the quality of the room you do have by adding clutter, stuff that they can hide behind. It's a lot easier for multiple roosters to work if you are rural with lots of room compared to a tiny urban or suburban backyard. But sometimes even that works.

One time I had three boys with the flock. One attracted a harem and had his own territory. The other two hung out together with their own harem in their own territory. Was this unusual, two sharing a harem? Yes, but they made it work.

I think it can help if the boys are raised with the flock. That's where the other boys are siblings or they are in a father-son relationship, even if the rooster is not the biological father.

I have no crystal ball to see the future,

None of us do. I have no idea how it will work out for you. The only way you can find out is to try it. I do suggest you have a Plan B ready in case it doesn't work out. For me that would be a place to lock up one or two on a moments notice in case you have that need. I think having a place ready to isolate a hen on a moment's notice is a good thing too, you never know what will happen, even with an all-girl flock.

I’ve advertised EVERYWHERE for free rooster give-away to an egg-laying flock, with no response.

That's a pretty common response when you put those kinds of restrictions. Roosters don't lay eggs so most people don't benefit from adding a rooster. If they want a rooster they probably already have one. Once you give them away they are no longer yours to control. Even if you found someone that promised to give them a good home forever, if you check back a week later you hear that a stray dog got him. If you can't accept that you probably should plan on keeping them forever, even if you have to house them in an all-boys pen. And you probably don't want to ever hatch chicks, you will almost certainly get more boys.

 

[Mrs. K]

Sure wish you were closer, they are pretty boys.

You might do that, advertise with pictures... just an idea.

The thing with roosters, is you have today. If it is working today, that is great. If you don't have problems...today, that is fantastic. Enjoy it...have a plan B set up and ready to go. Birds that have gotten along either get along or they don't. Pullets either manage it, or they don't.

As for sharing hens, Roosters really have no concept of sharing hens, as in these are yours, and these are mine. Generally, a pair of roosters has one that is really dominant, and tolerates the other as long as he seriously minds his manners. And as mean as it sounds, that is generally the most secure relationship. To equal dominance boys often will fight it out, over and over again. Then to keep both of them, you need two separate facilities.

Always solve for peace in the flock. If it is working, fine and good, when it changes, adjust. Yes, I have had flocks with two that worked, and I have seen a flock with many roosters, but that is was in a HUGE space, with trees, bushes and junk all over.

Most back yard set ups will not manage two roosters. Most back yard set ups should not have one. But one tends to give advice based on their own set up.

Mrs K

 

[ButtonHoarder]

How many hens do you have?

And I agree with what others have said.

 

[Ladies of the Forest]

I have 3 males with about 12 hens, but 2 are younger and the other is without a doubt head honcho so he keeps them in line. One has started making his own flock of 3 from that group and the other seems content so far to sneak breeds when the head one is busy. But we'll see next spring when love is in the air

And I’m worried about spring fever, too!

 

[Ladies of the Forest]

I don't exceed them, I ignore them. I just don't believe there is any magic in these numbers when it comes to chickens and their behavior.

I love all of this advice! Just yesterday, when I was letting everyone out to free range, the three musketeers all ran and jumped on my hen at once! She had come out of the pen later than everyone else. The three boys saw her and ran to her. I simply got my “pecking“ bamboo rod and gave the boys each a little peck on the back of the head until they separated and I could get the hen back in the coop. She voluntarily came out 10 minutes later and everything has been fine ever since. I’m glad that you replied to me, because I think that I can make this work based on what I’ve seen so far. Jacob, my current top bird, normally keeps all three other roosters away from his girls pretty successfully. If someone calls me and wants a rooster I’ll let them have it, otherwise I’m going to listen to you and have the expectation that this is going to work! Thank you so much!




What do you consider a bad outcome? To me it means that no chicken gets injured or dead. Some people freak out when a cockerel or rooster mates a pullet or hen, sometimes even if the pullet or hen doesn't object. I remember one post on here when a woman bragged about getting the shotgun and offing a neighbor's rooster because he was raping one of her hens. For behavior that I consider normal and probably happens several times a day in may of out flocks she handed out a death sentence. Expectations.

When you have a flock of chickens, one will be dominant. That's whether you have a flock of all girls, all boys, or a mixed flock. Sometimes determining which is dominant can be a fight to the death, sometimes you don't even notice it but they will know.

Regardless of the ratio you "can" have barebacked girls or girls that are stressed from too much attention from the boys. "Can" is an important word. It doesn't mean you "will".

There can be bad outcomes, even to me. I have removed males and sometimes females from my flock when I thought they were contributing to behaviors or outcomes I don't approve of. I think your expectations and what is acceptable has a lot to do with whether an outcome is bad or not, but I certainly have my limits.


If you are delusional then people have been for thousands of years. Other than your expectations I think the personality of your individual chickens, male and female, has a part to play. To a large extent that is luck, but I try to help that luck along by removing any that creates drama in the flock. Any of them, boy or girl.

I believe a huge part of it is how much room you have. The tighter they are packed the worse behavioral problems usually are. When they finish maturing what often happens is that different males stake out a certain territory and attract their own harem. These territories are best when they cant see each other. That's the kind of room I'm talking about, out of sight. You can improve the quality of the room you do have by adding clutter, stuff that they can hide behind. It's a lot easier for multiple roosters to work if you are rural with lots of room compared to a tiny urban or suburban backyard. But sometimes even that works.

One time I had three boys with the flock. One attracted a harem and had his own territory. The other two hung out together with their own harem in their own territory. Was this unusual, two sharing a harem? Yes, but they made it work.

I think it can help if the boys are raised with the flock. That's where the other boys are siblings or they are in a father-son relationship, even if the rooster is not the biological father.


None of us do. I have no idea how it will work out for you. The only way you can find out is to try it. I do suggest you have a Plan B ready in case it doesn't work out. For me that would be a place to lock up one or two on a moments notice in case you have that need. I think having a place ready to isolate a hen on a moment's notice is a good thing too, you never know what will happen, even with an all-girl flock.



That's a pretty common response when you put those kinds of restrictions. Roosters don't lay eggs so most people don't benefit from adding a rooster. If they want a rooster they probably already have one. Once you give them away they are no longer yours to control. Even if you found someone that promised to give them a good home forever, if you check back a week later you hear that a stray dog got him. If you can't accept that you probably should plan on keeping them forever, even if you have to house them in an all-boys pen. And you probably don't want to ever hatch chicks, you will almost certainly get more boys.