When should roos move out

[RWise]

Me Too!
Tho I just ate the last of the 2017 cockerels, it was deelish!
I have a t least 6 more out there now at 10 and 3 weeks old...
....I'm gonna need a bigger freezer and more slaughter days stamina.

I just butchered a very pretty 2 YO, I had hoped he would grow out of the aggressiveness, no such luck, and I knew it would be a long shot. He was a silver splash EE with florescent yellow ears,,, At this point in life, I dont need more jobs,,,yet I hatch,,,and we both know what that means.

 

[Phaedra Winters]

I am going to say remove the cockerels, and do some research on them. They never really turn out to be nice pets, and can be mean to your flock, so I would spend some time considering if you even want one.

I disagree with this because I have a very polite rooster (he's full grown) who is incredibly friendly to us and even comes up for pets. And he's a "mean" breed who is a RIR.
I do understand where you come from though because some of them can be downright horrid, so no disrespect, just my humble opinion

 

[Phaedra Winters]

Ok So I don't want to Hijack th OPs thread but I am curious. I have a new flock of 22, 7-8wks everyone gets along at this point but I know for certain I have 2 or maybe more Roos. They have grown up since the beginning together, am I going to have to separate them?

I have three roosters over 25 hens right now, they never fight nor do they gang up on the girls. Two of them weren't raised together but the 3rd was raised alongside them in the flock

 

[Trux]

No. The cockerels will be harassing the pullets with increased frequency and violence. As stated by PP, the pullets may not lay any time soon. I had several gals in my last flock who didn't start laying till they were 10 months old. Your pullets won't be ready to breed until they reach POL. When there is more than one cockerel, they will "gang breed". They will work together to chase down the weakest pullet. They will pin her to the ground, and take turns breeding her, some times 2 on top at once, while the third stands in front and attacks her head. At that age, cockerels are hormone driven. I've seen a cockerel trying to breed a coffee can.

A Coffee Chicken lol

 

[Hensndoes]

It makes me sad to read so much aversion to Roos. I admit- when we first got chicks I said hell no. Then I got a bantam Cochin cockerel who at 5 months asserted himself over my 11 pullets in about 2 hours tops and just like that - no more girl fights.

Now I have a marans roo. He's every bit as sweet to the girls and just as respectful of us. Got him from a breeder who focuses just as much on temperament- eats them at first sign of *tude.

 

[Hensndoes]

I have three roosters over 25 hens right now, they never fight nor do they gang up on the girls. Two of them weren't raised together but the 3rd was raised alongside them in the flock

What breeds are they? I have marans that are very mild mannered. I had read some breeds are so mild that you want to keep less hens with them for good fertility rate. My main roo will stand there shocked when he asks and a hen gives him the cold shoulder. I'm gonna have to lock him up with a couple ladies just to get a clutch!

 

[Hensndoes]

I disagree with this because I have a very polite rooster (he's full grown) who is incredibly friendly to us and even comes up for pets. And he's a "mean" breed who is a RIR.
I do understand where you come from though because some of them can be downright horrid, so no disrespect, just my humble opinion

^^yup.
I think it has a lot to do with what's in the persons head. If they enter the relationship with the bird thinking they have a potential problem then that is what they are going to get.

 

[aart]

It makes me sad to read so much aversion to Roos.

Well, maybe you've never been attacked full on by a not nice cock/erel.
Much does have to do with the keepers attitude and management style/technique.
..and a single male is way different than multiple males,
especially in how the girls are treated.

 

[bobbi-j]

^^yup.
I think it has a lot to do with what's in the persons head. If they enter the relationship with the bird thinking they have a potential problem then that is what they are going to get.

Not necessarily. I raise every cockerel thinking it could be a potential problem, and treat them accordingly. I don’t let them in my space, I make them move if they’re in my way, I back them up if they get pushy. I haven’t had a problem with an aggressive rooster since I have been raising them this way.

 

[lawson1986]

I have to say here, I love my two bantam roos (dutch bantams - Bjorn Ironwing and Ivar the Combless), they are very cuddly with me, and perfect gentlemen with their ladies. I like my Bielefelder Roo (Ragnar Lothbeak) who is with my main flock, but he is scared of EVERYTHING so I know he would not protect the ladies if it came down to it, he would hide behind them. But atleast I don't feel threatened by him. My 3 silkie roos ( Asher, Olaf, and Maui) though....they do a hell of a job protecting their women from me, other family members, a shadow on the wall, a fly, an invisible alien threat that only they can see....its tough to even change out the food and water bowls in the pen. They try to flog us every time! We wear a big protective work glove to keep our hands and arms safe. Everything I had read suggested silkie roos were lovely. That has Definitely NOT been my experience