What to do if you have a baby Rooster with lots of baby hens?

[CluckenMomma]

What age do we have to seperate our Roo from the hens so we don't get baby chicks? and should we keep him near but not with them? We currently have 17 hens 4 more coming in the next two weeks. 5 are 1 and 4 days old (Thats our Roo's age as well) and the other 12 are 3 days old. He's a Blue Plymouth.

 

[tripletfeb]

What makes you say the chick is a cockerel? Cockerel is the proper term when a male is under a year old, pullet is the term for female

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

You don’t have to separate them at all unless he becomes really mean. You say you don’t want “baby chicks” but I assume you are worried about fertilized eggs? You can eat the eggs no problem so long as you don’t let a broody hen sit on them for 24 hours or more.

 

[Sussex19]

You wouldn't get chicks unless you incubate the eggs, or a hen goes broody. If one does, as long as you collet the eggs every day, they are still perfectly good.
It is also quite easy to 'break' a broody, by putting her in a cage for a bit.
So I wouldn't worry about separating him.

 

[CluckenMomma]

What makes you say the chick is a cockerel? Cockerel is the proper term when a male is under a year old, pullet is the term for female.

Our cockerel is much larger than all of the other pullets and we even took him in to have him looked at and they even said that he was a cockerel.

 

[tripletfeb]

Our cockerel is much larger than all of the other pullets and we even took him in to have him looked at and they even said that he was a cockerel.

Size doesn't matter when they are so young. You say the chick is a blue plymouth? Do you mean a blue plymouth rock? Those are a sex linked bird and if the chick in question has a white dot on it's head, it's a male. No white dot means female. Regardless of that info, like others have said, there is no reason to separate them if you are worried about babies. When they get old enough, just collect the eggs everyday and don't incubate them or let a broody set on them. They won't develop into chicks without being incubated

 

[CluckenMomma]

Size doesn't matter when they are so young. You say the chick is a blue plymouth? Do you mean a blue plymouth rock? Those are a sex linked bird and if the chick in question has a white dot on it's head, it's a male. No white dot means female. Regardless of that info, like others have said, there is no reason to separate them if you are worried about babies. When they get old enough, just collect the eggs everyday and don't incubate them or let a broody set on them. They won't develop into chicks without being incubated

Yes the chick is a Blue Plymouth Rock and it does have a big round dot on its head but instead its yellow and its not as distinct as it was when he was 4 days old. Thank you for the rest of the information!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Our cockerel is much larger than all of the other pullets and we even took him in to have him looked at and they even said that he was a cockerel.

Looked at by who? It's too old to vent sex and they dint show male traits until at least 2 or 3 weeks, and he's not one of those early ones.

 

[CluckenMomma]

Looked at by who? It's too old to vent sex and they dint show male traits until at least 2 or 3 weeks, and he's not one of those early ones.

The chicken breeder is the one who looked at the chick.

 

[tripletfeb]

Glad you're here Jaws. You know much more than I!