When to separate cockerals and pullets

[NoisyCricket]

I have 44 straight run chicks who are 4 and 5 weeks old now (Wyandottes, Ameraucanas, Marens and 1 silkie). I was wondering at what point (or if) I need to separate the boy and girls to keep the boys from fighting over the girls? I am not sure how many of each I have as I am having trouble telling the difference with the Ameraucanas. I am planning on letting the cockerals grow up a bit before I decide who is staying and who is going.

 

[HEChicken]

If they are raised together, usually there isn't too much fighting. They will adopt a pecking order and each chicken (boy and girl) knows his/her place in the flock. The times I've had multiple roos at the same time, it was only the head roo that crowed - the others were completely silent.

 

[NoisyCricket]

Thank you! I will plan on leaving them together for the moment then. My DH will be thrilled to hear about the possibility of only one of them crowing

 

[ReikiStar]

Sorry but I have 3 roos raised together and they all crow. Usually 2 do, but the 3rd isn't afraid to chime in. Usually Roo#2 will crow first. There is no guarantee on who will or won't roo.

 

[acy0029]

I have 4 cockerels in with my 19 hens they are 3 1/2 months old and three of them crow but there really isn't any fighting.

 

[stcroixusvi]

We have 2 confirmed roosters out of 22 chicks, and at 11 weeks, only one crows with any consistency, but then he just started a couple of weeks ago. Number 2 crowed the other day, but it was really just a conversational SQUACK, not the good morning UR UR UR we get from our head rooster.

 

[NoisyCricket]

As long as they don't fight I am good. I will just have to keep them cooped away from the bedroom window. I currently have a 9 week old Marens cockerel, and 2 pullets, housed in a tractor just outside the bedroom. He is just starting to crow and he gave us a very poor serenade at 4:30 am Saturday morning. I think the dogs barking set him off though. He didn't start until 9:30 Sunday & today.

DH is sort of happy I am getting into chickens. After years and years of practicing Equine Economics, Chicken Math doesn't seem to bother him at all.