What to do with too many Roos???

[Dianne Hess]

Thank you.

 

[keesmom]

You can list them on your state thread -https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pennsylvania-unite.248345/page-7663

Any livestock auctions nearby? They aren't too small to butcher. I know our local Asian immigrants look for silkie males for processing.

 

[Dianne Hess]

I will look into the possibility of auctions. Thank you

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Hi, I tend to gravitate towards more rare breed chickens and order straight runs because its a bit cheaper. I am ok with getting roosters because I love them personally. This is what I did with all my extra rooster this year, I put them in a bachelor pen.

A Bachelor pen is a pen like you would make for your girls but will only house roosters.
I have two bachelor pens, one for my standard size boys and one for my bantam size boys. Currently in my standard size bachelor pen I have 5 Polish roosters. 3 buff lace and 2 white crested. They have access to a large pen under and large shade tree and cohabitant quite peacefully. My son's favorite breed is the Polish so of course we had to hang on to them. It can be vary hard to get rid of extra roosters, the internet is saturated with people trying to give them away.

For me, the more I have the better. We live in the country, my chickens free range so I need to have several on duty. I select the best for the job of protecting the girls, as for the rest, the bachelor life it is.

Here are a few pics of my standard size bachelor pad boys.

 

[Dianne Hess]

Hi, I tend to gravitate towards more rare breed chickens and order straight runs because its a bit cheaper. I am ok with getting roosters because I love them personally. This is what I did with all my extra rooster this year, I put them in a bachelor pen.

A Bachelor pen is a pen like you would make for your girls but will only house roosters.
I have two bachelor pens, one for my standard size boys and one for my bantam size boys. Currently in my standard size bachelor pen I have 5 Polish roosters. 3 buff lace and 2 white crested. They have access to a large pen under and large shade tree and cohabitant quite peacefully. My son's favorite breed is the Polish so of course we had to hang on to them. It can be vary hard to get rid of extra roosters, the internet is saturated with people trying to give them away.

For me, the more I have the better. We live in the country, my chickens free range so I need to have several on duty. I select the best for the job of protecting the girls, as for the rest, the bachelor life it is.

Here are a few pics of my standard size bachelor pad boys.

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Thank you so much! This was helpful. I did find a great home for one of the boys so I"m still here with two - a Silkie and a Frizzle. I love them both and though I see some sparring I'm hoping if I get a few more girls (I have 4 now) that it may balance them out (?). I have a Silkie girl that just went broody on me. I really want a few Easter Eggers. I'm thinking of getting some day old - females - from Meyers in a couple weeks to slip under her. What do you think?

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Thank you so much! This was helpful. I did find a great home for one of the boys so I"m still here with two - a Silkie and a Frizzle. I love them both and though I see some sparring I'm hoping if I get a few more girls (I have 4 now) that it may balance them out (?). I have a Silkie girl that just went broody on me. I really want a few Easter Eggers. I'm thinking of getting some day old - females - from Meyers in a couple weeks to slip under her. What do you think?

I currently have 5 boys out with the flock during the day. There is some sparing but for the most part all the boys know their place with in the hierarchy of the flock and get along very well.

two roosters for 4 girls is a bit on the high side. One rooster for the 4 ladies would be ok. If you get some more girls than the two roos would be okay.

As far as having a broody hen adopt chicks that can be tricky. I have successfully had a broody hen adopt mail order chicks twice. A lot depends on the hen. Some hens will reject any chick that they did not hatch, others don't care as long as they have babies. The two that adopted chicks for me were a buff orphington and a silkie.

This is how I did it. When she goes broody put her in a quiet place to sit. Give her some fake eggs (I used ceramic eggs found at TSC) they look, weigh, and radiate heat the same way as a real egg does. If you can plan to have your chicks arrive after a tradition incubation time. Typically three weeks or so after your hen goes broody and starts to sit on the fake eggs.

When they arrive put them in a brooder. After their long journey they will need a drink of water and something to eat. Keep this broody prepared for the chicks just in case the hen reject the chicks.

Now, after its dark and your hen has been asleep for a few hours go outside taking one chick. Quietly open the coop and attempt to put one chick under her. You will know if she is going to accept it if you hear her clucking at it expectantly. Stay there for a few minutes to make sure that all is ok. If all is good take one of the fake eggs that is under her. If you hear her peck the chick or attempt to hurt it in anyway take it from her and put it back in the brooder. If all goes well, they next night give her a few more chicks taking the eggs and the next night the same till all the chicks are under her.

I have done this successfully twice. I have attempted with two other broods, they rejected the chicks so I raised them in the brooder instead. But if you can get a broody hen to do the job for you its worth a try.

Best of luck with your new babies.

 

[BethesdaR]

I ordered ten 'females', two didn't make it in transit. Of the 8 remaining, 6 are Roosters! When I contacted the hatchery they said that they must have been picked out of the wrong bin! Now I am trying to figure out with my 5 year old daughter how to handle this. I could keep the hens in the coop and let the roos free-range. They have been getting along fine. But I have been reading that their friendliness towards each other may not last. I easily found someone who would take the hens, but if the roosters shouldn't be kept together, why would I give away the hens? I am not excited by any of this decision and should not have been put in this position! I figured out a place to have them processed, but I need to call tomorrow since the website says you should make an appointment when they are day olds so they can schedule you in. The chickens are 16 weeks old. I literally had no idea until today what could have happened to the hens with all those roosters around.