What happens when a more "attactive" rooster comes into the Picture?

[TheTwoRoos]

I was reading that hens.when given many roosters,choose mates.They like certain characteristics.Well my rooster Zeus at one point was stunning until he began battling (Which was in February ,awhile back.)He is only a year and half and is just getting the basics down.He lost all of his WONDERFUL tail feathers and needs to seriously molt this year.

My question is that I have a 5 month old rooster.He most defiantly is flirting but I didn't notice him showing what i call His Mate some treat off weeds.He is going to be pretty,I can already tell.He isn't too big yet,but I'm sure by the end of next month,he will be.

Now the question.What if my older guy doesn't molt and grow new feathers by the time this one gets big and pretty?What happens if the hens find one Extremely more attractive or just parshly more?Will he kill the younger guy,or will he just try harder at keeping a harem?

Also have 3 more younger guys I was planning on adding in (Only 3 months.)

 

[chickens really]

Not sure why you need so many Roosters?
To answer your question...Hens do not pick Roosters....Roosters breed hens...Hens submit to any Rooster regardless of his appearance...

Hope that helps..?

Others may not agree? The ratio is 10 hens to one Rooster....

 

[Folly's place]

Flocks large enough to have more than one cock will form subgroups, a few hens with each. You can have more than one if there's plenty of space, separate pens, or a bachelor pen further from the hens. If the cocks are fighting and causing stress/ injuries, you need to make management changes. I hope to keep five males this winter, with about forty hens. However, plans change as things develop! Mary

 

[TheTwoRoos]

I have thought on about a Bachelor pad seeing as I only have 22 hens.I also am hearing 7 hens to one roo.

Also my rooster were nearly mature and the hens still wouldn't allow them mating...

It'snot so much that I "Need" them,I am attached....And I wanna ensure they live a good life and not be killed if moved to a new home.

 

[chickens really]

That would be fine to set up a Rooster pen....The more hens a person has per Rooster, the better the dynamics are....I am sure you know how many times a day a Rooster breeds a hen.......LOTS.....

Do what feels best for your own situation...Only can tell you what experience taught me.....

 

[bobbi-j]

I have thought on about a Bachelor pad seeing as I only have 22 hens.I also am hearing 7 hens to one roo.

Also my rooster were nearly mature and the hens still wouldn't allow them mating...

It'snot so much that I "Need" them,I am attached....And I wanna ensure they live a good life and not be killed if moved to a new home.

If you already have two roosters with your 22 hens, I would build a bachelor pad for the rest of them. The ratio of hens per rooster is a guideline - not a hard and fast rule. From what I understand, the 10/1 ratio is more for optimum fertility. Too few roosters per hen, and there's not enough rooster to go around, if you know what I mean. Too many, and the hens are stressed, overbred and possibly not laying as well. You may end up with two flocks, or you may end up with one of your males challenging the other, causing fighting.

How old are your "hens" that they wouldn't allow your nearly mature roosters to mate? If they're this year's chicks, they are pullets, and not as sexually mature as the cockerels (roosters less than a year old) at this point. They will be more receptive to the advances as they get closer to laying.

I understand your being attached to your roosters, but you need to think about this. I don't know if you plan on hatching chicks or not, but you will end up with even more cockerels if you do. Are you planning on keeping every one that comes onto your place? Your choice, of course, but I know I can't keep feeding non-productive birds. Gets a bit spendy.

 

[junebuggena]

Are you planning on keeping every one that comes onto your place? Your choice, of course, but I know I can't keep feeding non-productive birds. Gets a bit spendy.

This!
I just processed 3, 16 week old cockerels. Just those three ate more feed in a day than 9 of my adult laying hens. I don't like having to send those boys to freezer, but it's just not possible to keep them all. And sometimes, you can't even give them away.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

If you already have two roosters with your 22 hens, I would build a bachelor pad for the rest of them. The ratio of hens per rooster is a guideline - not a hard and fast rule. From what I understand, the 10/1 ratio is more for optimum fertility. Too few roosters per hen, and there's not enough rooster to go around, if you know what I mean. Too many, and the hens are stressed, overbred and possibly not laying as well. You may end up with two flocks, or you may end up with one of your males challenging the other, causing fighting.

How old are your "hens" that they wouldn't allow your nearly mature roosters to mate? If they're this year's chicks, they are pullets, and not as sexually mature as the cockerels (roosters less than a year old) at this point. They will be more receptive to the advances as they get closer to laying.

I understand your being attached to your roosters, but you need to think about this. I don't know if you plan on hatching chicks or not, but you will end up with even more cockerels if you do. Are you planning on keeping every one that comes onto your place? Your choice, of course, but I know I can't keep feeding non-productive birds. Gets a bit spendy.

Well I know I may end up doing that,but I will try to find someone in my area that I know doens't kill their chickens if it came down to that.And I know a person.

At the time these roosters started mating most of the hens were between 2 and half years and 3 and half years.I noticed though once the two dominate males left the females just started submitting to the "Underling" roo for some odd reason.But there were pullets the roosters had grown up with,but the roosters wanted absolutely nothing to do with them as they aged,but the Alpha roo took them in as his own.Of course the girls in that flock matured before one of the boys if I remember correctly.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

I had thought I knew soo much baout roosters,guess I didn't.

 

[Folly's place]

I'd like to add that I have two mature cocks, with about thirty hens. The three 'keeper' cockrels, and another group of pullets, are a work in progress. Time will tell... Mary