What do I do with all my chickens? Flock overhaul?

[WannabeHomsteader]

Hey y'all, I live "in town" and need some advice on what to do with all my birds. Here's the deal:

I have 2 ex-commercial hens, both about 2yo. I believe they're ISA browns. They have had multiple problems with laying complications (I started with 4 hens, lost one to prolapse, another to egg binding, in 6mo, and one surviving hen has egg binding history). So in May I went to TSC and got my first-ever set of chicks: 8 unsexed bantam chicks. I had the tentative plan to replace my ISA browns. I am allowed by ordinance to keep 6 hens and no roosters, so I thought 8 would give me some wiggle room if I ended up with a couple roosters. Perhaps this was a bad idea, given that they also had sexed breeds there for sale....but I felt like bantams would be a great fit for what I wanted, so I took the chance.

Well, my chicks are now 7-8 wks, and judging by the spiky hairstyles and all the itty-bitty chest bumping happening, it appears that at least 5 of them are cockerels. The jury is still mostly out on one (the brown partridge cochin pictured here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/6-week-bantam-pair-breed-and-gender.1667536/). Feel free to weigh in.

One of the two probably-pullets has some weird swelling on her head, which I have been trying to treat, but not getting anywhere (she's pictured here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-6wk-pullet-what-is-it.1667143/#post-28657533). She doesn't act like she feels awful, so I'm waiting to see what happens, but I understand it might turn into something I can't fix.

This means I have ONE healthy confirmed pullet out of the whole 8. I have considered starting over from scratch and getting new (sexed) chicks, but I really don't want to. It feels like so much work down the drain. But I can't keep the roosters anyway. I plan to at least wait to "do something" until I hear crowing and confirm all this rooster-y nonsense.

So my question is....what would you do, if you were in my shoes? Keep my ISAs and wait till next spring? Look for other laying hens to purchase? Start over with bantams, or even a sexed breed? Attempt integration with 1-3 bantams and 2 standard hens?

I am open to suggestions.

 

[CascadiaRiver]

Can you share pics of your other five cockerels? Maybe we can help check if there are any sneaky pullets among them

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'd integrate whatever pullets you have, and try again next year to fill out the flock with sexed chicks.

Second thought, if you're fine with culling birds (cockerels and spent layers), then you could get a 2nd batch of chicks this year to go along with the pullet(s) you have, and cull the rest.

 

[WannabeHomsteader]

I'd integrate whatever pullets you have, and try again next year to fill out the flock with sexed chicks.

Second thought, if you're fine with culling birds (cockerels and spent layers), then you could get a 2nd batch of chicks this year to go along with the pullet(s) you have, and cull the rest.

Thank you for your thoughts. Yes, I'm okay with culling. That was the plan when I was considering replacing my ISA browns. I would love to have a flock of 6 bantam hens, if possible, whether this year or next.

 

[WannabeHomsteader]

@CascadiaRiver

Here are photos of each of my bantams. I think #1, 3, 5, 6, and 7 are cockerels. Not sure about #8, but those wattles make me nervous.

 

[CascadiaRiver]

I am here to reassure you! #8 is a girl Looks like a Partridge Bantam Cochin and it's female specific coloring! Unfortunately it looks like #1 is also a patridge cochin but he's got black coming in The others you believe are pullets I agree. At least D'Uccles are quick to mature so you can ID fairly early, my standard cochins used to mature so slowly I'd be head over heels in love with my little cockerel I can't keep

 

[WannabeHomsteader]

I am here to reassure you! #8 is a girl Looks like a Partridge Bantam Cochin and it's female specific coloring! Unfortunately it looks like #1 is also a patridge cochin but he's got black coming in The others you believe are pullets I agree. At least D'Uccles are quick to mature so you can ID fairly early, my standard cochins used to mature so slowly I'd be head over heels in love with my little cockerel I can't keep


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THANK YOU for reassuring me! I have been so hoping it was a pullet - they are such beautiful birds, and I was pretty sure the other partridge cochin bantam was a cockerel. He appears to be the head honcho of the whole group. I WISH I could keep him and see what kind of rooster he'd turn out to be - I've also heard bantam hens are excellent mothers! I'd love to give hatching chicks a shot with my own flock.

Also...how long until these bantam breeds reach full maturity? Trying to figure out a game plan from here, and how long before I absolutely have to do something.

I'm considering making a last-ditch call to all my local TSC stores to see if they have ANY more bantam chicks, and giving bantam raising another shot. That might be a terrible idea. I'm scared I'll end up with mostly cockerels again! But I really do think bantams would be a great fit for my location, space, etc.

 

[CascadiaRiver]

I say give it a shot! Call around, get a handful more and see if the luck turns And if you mean until the boys mature & become troublemakers... well it is kind of individual, sometimes as early as 6 weeks and sometimes as late as 3-4 months or longer, I do think having that many boys may turn the coop into a frat house and stir a little extra chaos

 

[LaFleche]

#2, 6 and 8 are pullets.

I would cull the two remaining sick ISA and try to rehome the cockerels.
In case no new homes can be found for the males, I would cull/butcher them too and just keep the three bantam pullets.

Then get some sexed pullets (~10 weeks old) from a hatchery next year.

 

[Mrs. K]

Contact the county extension agent to find 4-h clubs or poultry clubs. Sometimes this time of year, you can get some nice point of lay birds.