Too many roosters

[Doormantnt]

Morning.

I have 9 dominque roos in with 4 hens that were hatched out in April. So they are about 17 weeks old. And the Roos are really becoming ...... an issue.....

They are starting to fight pretty good among themself, last night I saw a bloody (very minor) comb. No one seems to be picking on any one in perticular. Just getting wound up and going after who ever is close....I know pecking order...but they aint staying.

So my questions: What should live weight be on a dual purpose like a dominique? Am I right bout on schedule here in the 17-20 week range to process? or am I late? They still feel kinda boney on breast.

I had told the wife I was still feeding them after 1 July, then they were going to feed me. Well it's gettin bout that time right. I'm just curious how others keep fighting to a minimum when it comes to keeping duals long enough to process, or did I wait to long?

Thanks for the insight

TNT

 

[emys]

You should either remove the hens or go ahead and process those boys.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

The heritage breeds may never get very breasty, certainly not like the CX which are engineered to produce breast meat. You will probably have awesome dark meat quarters.

I agree with earlier posts, that adolescent rooster squabbling improves about 1-2 weeks after the ladies are removed to their own pen. I would think anytime from this point would be fine to process. You could do some now, and some later to find out what stage your family enjoys best.

We'd love to hear how the Dominiques dress out.

 

[Doormantnt]

Thank yall for the advice.

Little new at this. I've had layin hens for couple years now, and figured I would test out a homemade bator....It worked great for Roos...LOL.... Well I'll have 4 hens to mix with my other layers.

TNT

 

[Tiffrz-N-Kidz]

I would agree with the earlier post, remove the hens or the boys will start killing each other. It's what roosters do when there's not enough 'tail' for all of them.

ETA: I am not sure about live weight but my 20 week old EE roos were 3-3 1/2 pounds dressed.

 

[RWD]

I have a pen with 15 or so roos in it all the time, different ages, and as they get to 16-20 weeks I take the ones I want and process. Roos get along good after the new ones learn the pecking order. Hens do the same thing, and my opinion is hens can be harder to introduce new hens to than the roos are.

 

[Doormantnt]

Thanks for the replies.

I need to get the hens out of there, and into the big coop with the other layers, then maybe the roos will settle down.

Ya'll think it will matter if the visual contact with the hens will be an issue? my runs are only bout 3 feet apart. I'm not working with a lot of space. I just need to do a "sample" process and see how they are developing.

I guess the fun starts now with introducing the new hens with the 2 yr olds.

They have all been free ranging in the afternoons together 2yr olds, and april hatch. Then at evening everyone returns to their respective coop.

The older hens will explore full yard, but the new hatch don't venture far from the coop and covered run.

So hopfully intergration will go semi smoothly.

Thanks again.

TNT