We have 24 roosters and 4 hens! Need some advice

[Mrs. K]

The hens will get over being penned up in a couple of days.

And not to be a chicken math enabler, Buuuuttttt....... if you get all those roos processed, well then you have lots of room for more hens! If you have hen go broody, well that is lots of fun too.

Mrs K

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Sometimes sex links are healthier since they have an influx of new genetics but won't breed true after a generation.

I really love jersey giants. I've had black, white and blue. Really friendly birds. RIRs tend to be the bully of a mixed flock.

Making 3 (or more) pens and keeping breeds separate is a good idea.
You can never have too many pens/housing options.

 

[donrae]

If you post pics of your roosters, we can help identify what breeds you have.

Point of fact, if you keep any non-barred, non-white rooster, you'll get sex linked chicks from your barred hens--not just with the RIR.

Sex links are good if you plan to sell chicks, or cull males early, things like that. Otherwise, especially in a home made sex link as we're describing here, not really any different than plain old mixed breed birds.

 

[rookiefornow]

The ones we think are RIR have green tail feathers. The white ones we think are the jerseys but some of them have brown feathers. ??????

 

[donrae]

In the first pic I see probably White Rocks, a Barred Rock and a hatchery Red. Second pic, your white roosters with the red on the wings, those are red sex link males.

 

[rookiefornow]

Thanks to everyone. We have taken your advice and suggestions and come up with a plan. We were going to start today by keeping the hens in their enclosure but my dad who doesn't know our routine or plan decided he would let the hens out this morning before we got up. He knows now. It works out to keep them in as they should be starting to lay. It's the funniest thing, we are very excited. My dad said there were only 3 hens. Weird since we penned up all 4 last night. We got a little nervous as we were about to go out to search for her, I could see feathers in the nesting boxes. Woo Hoo! We left her alone until she came out of the coop. Yep! We got our first egg this morning. We also ordered 26 more layers yesterday. So, we isolate, process, raise, introduce, rejoin and pray for peace and harmony!

Thanks again!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Woo Hoo!

 

[aart]

Great thread with lots of good advice and planning!
Best of luck rookiefornow.

 

[LindaB220]

Thanks to everyone. We have taken your advice and suggestions and come up with a plan. We were going to start today by keeping the hens in their enclosure but my dad who doesn't know our routine or plan decided he would let the hens out this morning before we got up. He knows now. It works out to keep them in as they should be starting to lay. It's the funniest thing, we are very excited. My dad said there were only 3 hens. Weird since we penned up all 4 last night. We got a little nervous as we were about to go out to search for her, I could see feathers in the nesting boxes. Woo

Good post !!!!

 

[ChickenCurt]

You shouldn't need to keep your layers cooped after the roster issue is solved as they'll head home to lay...always a rebel hen to call me a liar but it rings true most of the time.