Too many roosters?

[debilorrah]

I have heard that 1 roo for evry 10-14m hens. So yeah, you are roo heavy.

 

[ovaunda]

I have 8 roos and 2 hens.

I had to separate 1 roo because they were tearing him up, ripped out all his tail feathers and bits of his comb. He's recovering nicely and I housed the 2 hens with him. He is quite the gentleman with them and they all get along so well.

My other 7 roos are housed in a separate coop and they fight incessantly during the day - at night they all sleep perched side by side. I expect that we will be less 1 roo tomorrow as they have started picking on another and hubby had to leave for work so I could not separate them tonight.

I can't stand to part with any of them as we've raised them all from chicks and I've grown attached in one way or another to each of them, they all have very distinct personalities.

I wish I knew how they could all live peacefully with one another but hubby says to let nature takes its course.

 

[CK Chickadilly]

How do you choose "the rooster"?
Having 9 pullets & 5 roosters, would 2 be OK to keep?

 

[ovaunda]

With mine it became very evident who the dominant roos were. I only moved the 1 roo because he was being picked on and I thought the hens would be ok with him since they were so traumatized by the others. At first he seemed overly "excited" and immediately chased them around. I put him in a smaller pen and he seemed to calm down overnight. The next day when I went to change his water he jumped out and has been ok with them since. He is very watchful of them and they free range a couple of hours a day, always under his watchful eye.

I have a few "favorites" - as they became "juveniles" they're personalities became more prevalent. There are 2 that are obviously the dominant roos and they bully everyone - including my 9-year old. Those would be the first to go.

 

[vfem]

Quote:
EXCUSE TO GET MORE HENS!

Hehehehehe

 

[debilorrah]

i HAD REALLY REALLY GOOD LUCK, WE BOUGHT OURs from a free ranger and brought them home and they all got along from the get go. Our roo is vry mellow. He does give me the evil eye every now and then....