Too many roosters

[LAndrus]

6 weeks ago the wife brought home 8 day old chicks. She reassured me that she had 7 hens and one rooster. 6 weeks later, it appears that we have 6 hens and 2 roosters that are starting to feel their rooster nuggets. One is becoming the dominant male. My question, since they were raised together will they live in peace and harmony or should I plan on getting rid of the less dominant one.

 

[bobbi-j]

There is no way to know how it will turn out. I would keep an eye on the two of them and see which one you like best. They may fight, or they may not. Do your chickens free range? That may ease some of the pressure off your pullets once those two cockerels start wanting to breed. It may give them the room they need to get along, too. Or, they may duke it out. Keep an eye on things and be prepared to narrow it down to one if needed.

 

[Mrs. K]

Truthfully, if this is your first year with chickens, I would cull both roosters, if you get a chance. Roosters take a little experience, and even with experience, one can get an awful one. Just keep the hens, and get some experience with the hobby.

Often times roosters raised with flock mates, get bigger than the pullets earlier, become sexually active earlier, and there are no bigger birds to teach them some respect. They can become very aggressive to birds and humans alike.

Cull both of them, and get one next year. Culling just means removing them from your flock.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Agrees with Mrs. K, if you don't need a male, get rid of both of them.
Can depend on your goals and space available if you and how you keep any males.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

When I first got chicks 5 years ago, I got 9 that were suppose to be hens, one turned out to be a rooster, best rooster we ever had.
6 months later I got 2 silkies (was hoping for hens) both started crowing 2 months later. Re-homed one, kept the other, no issues.

2 years later we lost our rooster to a leg injury, so the silkie rooster became top dog. He fathered 2 roosters and 1 hen, he passed a year later. His oldest son, Hank is head rooster, brother Cotton is just cranky. 2 years ago, Hank fathered 4 chicks, 2 roosters, and 2 hens. The two hens were smothered by snakes, still have the boys.

In total I have 4 roosters, and 7 hens. Hank keeps everyone in check, the boys may chase after the girls, but when Hank hears them, he chases the boys off. They do not fight each other, and the only one I have issues with is, Cotton. He will chase you, so I keep a broom with me at all times. Or I call Hank, and tell him that Cotton is messing with me, and Hank will chase him away.

I can hand feed Hank with no problem, he is very gentle, he never chases or challenges me. The two little boys, my youngest daughter can go up to them, and scoop them up, and cuddle them.

I live on 1 acre, and the chickens have a half acre to free range in the back yard. Been thinking about re-homing Cotton for about a year, just so we don't have to keep a broom with us, when we go into the back yard. I would like his to go, where he can have his own flock of hens. He would be good at watching out for them. All of our roosters were hand raised, and Cotton use to follow us around, and want to be held. Then about 2 years ago, he got cranky! LOL

 

[DanEP]

The boys may or may not fight only time will tell, but 2 roosters and 6 hens is not a good way to start. If you had 6-10 hens per rooster it would be easier but I agree with Mrs K about culling both roosters for your first year and then get a rooster next year if you want one. I've found that roosters raised around older hens have better manners than roosters raised in a flock with no one to keep them in line.