Two cockerels, zero pullets (about 9-12 weeks old)

[blutenstaub]

I bought two young birds (3-6 week old more or less) a month and a half ago, and the community here says they look like they're going to be roosters. (See https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mystery-swap-meet-birds.1544104/ for pictures.) What I really want is eggs.... but I like doing crafts and rooster feathers seem like they'd be a nice craft supply so I'm not totally against having a rooster. I have no idea what I'm going to do with two. I've got one little coop and a tiny doghouse I could potentially slap a door on and call a coop if I have to separate them. The questions:

When will I have to separate them? They have no pullets or hens to fight over, will that mean they fight more out of boredom or less from not having that female temptation?

Should I try to get some females now while they're still young? Their coop is already kind of small, about 2x3 foot (a converted largeish doghouse), I don't know how many more I could fit in there. I do let them wander the patio about half of the day. Or should I wait until I have a chance to build something bigger, which might be another month or two?

Is it even possible to keep both when they're all big and beautiful? If not, at what age are they most tasty? I *think* I could do it.... the other option is give it away, but I'm in Mexico and cockfighting is a thing here so there's a good chance it'll enter the ring...

(And I was really, really hoping the sex guessers in that thread were wrong, until this morning I saw them both puffing up and circling....)

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm sorry for your bad luck.

Some cockerels/rooster will live peacefully in a bachelor flock, but if these boys have game chicken blood in them then they're bred to fight other males rather than tolerate them.

Additionally, 2x3 is only 6 square feet -- not even room for 2 chickens, really -- though in your climate they really do need a coop only for sleeping so moderate crowding (of hens) *could* work IF they had access to a generous run from dawn to dusk (but no guarantees).

The Usual Guidelines
For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

 

[blutenstaub]

Yeah, I think I'm going to need to source some bantams if I want to keep chickens. But I'm guessing I don't want full sized game roosters on bantam hens!! If I make a multilevel cage/run (platforms and perches where they can run away from each other), will that help much with not having very much area to put chickens on? Like, for the 10 square feet of run, if I added a second "floor" on top of the first 10 square feet, will that do for a second bird?

Need to plan out a chicken town house!!

Oh, another question, what age range of pullets would integrate well with these cockerels, and should I get two (assuming I improve the space to support two)?

 

[citymeetscountry]

Honestly from the sounds of it, you don’t really have space for more (or the ones you have). If you get female you’ll need at least 4-5 per male. Keeping both together *could* work assuming no females are around. With you’re talking of a chicken “townhouse”/levels I am envisioning just large cages because they won’t have ground to scratch/bugs to peck out. It sounds less than ideal to me. If your chickens want to “fly” at all they will be restricted. Do you only have 10sqft available for them to forage/roam? The guidelines are just that, guidelines. A lot of times it’s minimum. The more space the happier the chickens.

 

[3KillerBs]

If I make a multilevel cage/run (platforms and perches where they can run away from each other), will that help much with not having very much area to put chickens on? Like, for the 10 square feet of run, if I added a second "floor" on top of the first 10 square feet, will that do for a second bird?

Not really.

Multiple levels of perches and things to get up on top of and underneath improve the quality of the space, but don't really add up to extra space in terms of crowding.

Oh, another question, what age range of pullets would integrate well with these cockerels, and should I get two (assuming I improve the space to support two)?

Cockerels mature faster than pullets so the best would be adult hens or, at least, pullets who are already laying.

The usual recommendation is about 8-12 hens per rooster but that is about fertility more than behavior. Very often each male thinks that ALL the hens should be his. Sometimes two males will share a flock, but that's more likely to fail than to succeed. Especially if they're game-type males.

With your space limitations I think you'd probably be best off with 3-4 bantam girls and no males at all.

Cockerels/roosters can be challenging so it's often best to start with hens only to get the hang of chicken care and behavior.

 

[blutenstaub]

With your space limitations I think you'd probably be best off with 3-4 bantam girls and no males at all.

Yeah that does sound like the ideal situation for me. So I guess the task now is improving my coop area while looking for some bantams. Looks like if I raise my current chickens up to beautiful roosters, I can make some nice coin. As long as the fact that they're going to be fought doesn't bother me.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yeah that does sound like the ideal situation for me. So I guess the task now is improving my coop area while looking for some bantams. Looks like if I raise my current chickens up to beautiful roosters, I can make some nice coin. As long as the fact that they're going to be fought doesn't bother me.

Or you can eat them yourself if you are so inclined.

 

[chooketychook]

I agree with the above get yourself 2-3 bantam girls and let go of the roosters

 

[Mrs. K]

no males at all.

best advice!

 

[NatJ]

at what age are they most tasty? I *think* I could do it....

You can eat them at any age.

When they are young, they are more tender, but have less meat.

When they grow bigger, they have more meat, but the meat is more likely to be tough.

The flavor tends to be a little stronger when they are adults rather than young chicks, but I don't think it changes enough to make very much difference.

I see you are hoping to get a few pullets. I would probably butcher or sell the males before getting pullets, however soon or late that might be.