Too many roosters?

[silkie-mom]

I have 11 silkies that are about 9 or 10 weeks old. I am discovering that about half of them appear to be roosters. They are confined to their coop and pen, never free ranging.
Should I expect problems with them getting along? So far there have been no major problems, but they are still young.
I love them all and don't want to get rid of any if I don't have to.
Also.....when can I expect to hear them learning to crow? I can't wait!

 

[silkieluver_07]

The roosters shouldn't fight if they have grown up together, but that IMO is too many roosters to hen ratio. I would keep two roosters and all the pullets. You can expect to here this when they learn to crow:

Cockaaaaaa Cokaaaaaa Brawkk....... *Cough* *Cough*

 

[silkie-mom]

Yes, it is a high roo ratio.....when I ordered them I ordered only 2 roos, but got what I got. The hatchery supposedly sexed them.....oh well....now I'm attached to them all.
Maybe I'll have to build another pen and split them up if I have problems. I just don't think I could bear to part with them unless it was a really great/safe home.

 

[mamachickn]

I had 5 roosters from one batch and they all got along great. It was the constant, non-stop, one right after the other, all day long crowing. I'd swear they would just take turns. One even crowed in the middle of the night.

(probably just to get his word in)

 

[silkie-mom]

OMG....crowing all day long??
I heard somewhere that silkies aren't very loud.....is this true?

I do hope my boys can continue to get along. They are such a joy to play with. I find I have to drag myself away from their pen or I would never get anything done around here. I can just sit and watch them for hours......or hand feed them treats. Tonight they got leftover peas from dinner, which they thought were soooooo delicious.
Of course, they taste best if eaten directly from my fingers, and not off the ground. Spoiled, spoiled, spoiled.

 

[chookchick]

Good luck! Your chickens are just the same age that mine were when they started fighting constantly. They still slept and roosted together but it was chaos during the day. I had 4 chicks and 3 were cockerels! Unfortunately I could not find homes for 2 of them so...neighbor had chicken dinner. The last one I kept, and he started crowing as soon as the others were gone. He is pretty quiet so far (only crows about 5 times in the morning), but I am sure if there were more they would be noisier.

 

[vfem]

I'm shocked you sexed them so early! LOL

I bought 2 silkies chics as my first ones... sexed they were both supposed to be female... turned out I got a roo after all. He's a squirt compared to the hens! He's 12 weeks now... no crowing. We still just here *chirping* and I'm sure we'll keep him.

We have a 1 to 4 ratio though, and think thats just fine. You may want to cut down on your roos some for the girls sake.

 

[silkie-mom]

oh my god you guys!
I can't part with my boys!
I will wait and see what problems arise, and begin plans for a new coop next door to this one I guess.
I couldn't give them to anyone who might eat them.....oh my god!
Besides, do people actually eat silkies? I know they do in China, but they seem to eat everything over there.

 

[CK Chickadilly]

I have 14 Silkies. 5 are little roos. I have been debating whether or not to part with maybe 2 of them. I too have a hard time thinking of haing to find a new home for them. And it would have to be a good home. They have been free ranging for quite some time now. They are about 10 wks. old. I heard one of the little roos practice his crowing the other day. Sounded pretty sick!

So far they are not fighting. But one of the smallest roos is the toughest, or he thinks he is....

What to do? I thought about taking them to the auction until a friend told me that certain people come weekly & buy their dinner. GASP! Not my Silkies! I think I will keep them for now too, see how it goes.

 

[Momo]

I didn't think I could part with my extra (EE) roos either, but when they hit 15 weeks or so they became sex mad and drove the poor pullets crazy, and a few weeks after that they started fighting amongst each other. They are a lot less lovable when they become delinquents, I can tell you! So I started culling, starting with the worst offenders. Now I have one left (Dylan), and he is perfect with the girls, a true gentleman, very protective but sweet, and respectful toward humans. (Unfortunately he crows a lot, and loudly, but I guess you can't have everything.) I hated to see the others go to the block, but once they were gone it was actually a relief, and the farm is so peaceful now! And the girls are happy; they really adore Dylan.