Trying to manage randy younger roos

[Mrs. K]

Good it sounds like you do have enough space, and alternative pens. I know you want to keep your roosters, they might work out, they might not work out.

There really is not magic number for roos/hen ratios. Only if you are breeding large numbers of birds, and need large number of percent fertile eggs, is the idea of 1roo/10 hens viable. As for keeping roosters from over mating, or not fighting each other because they all have enough hens, it will not work at all.

Some roosters do get along, some do not. Some do for a while, and some do not in an instant. They are a crap shoot. Have a 4 foot handle fish net, so that you can catch and restrain fighting birds. Cock fights can get very ugly.

You do have children, do be aware of children and roosters. If your children are less than 5, I would not keep any of them, especially the pet like roosters. People tend to think that pet roosters love them and want to be petted and sit on your lap. In truth, those roosters have no fear of people, and are in the dominant position. Chickens treat fear as respect, each chicken in the flock is either afraid of or feared to every other chicken. Pet roosters can become a nightmare in an instant, Beware.

We wish you the best, but roosters take a bit of experience, and 5 roosters can be a recipe for a good wreck.

Mrs k

 

[goreybabe]

Definitely getting the long handled net - that will be handy at one point, even if we don't keep all the boys...

I am going to research more into rooster flocks to see how to go about doing that, if they are even interested in it themselves in the first place. Otherwise, yeah, we'll be either trying to rehome at least one, maybe two it seems.

*sigh*

 

[Sara Ranch]

I use words and actions to train the roo's.

Gentle, kind.

I grab the back of the neck with my fingers and push them to the ground rough, like they do to a girl.

Then I do a softer, more gentle version of the very same action, using the words gentle & kind. They usually get it.

If I observe them doing it, I remind them to be gentle and kind. If they are too rough, I push them off.

Sorry - deep cut on my main finger and it's hard to type much. If you want more info, please email me and give me a few days.