which roo should I keep: the less dominate, or the larger more dominate?

[llcardinale]

I sent for three Salmon Faverolle day old chicks and was sent six: I surrendered two to my vets due to deformities beyond what I could manage, and now it looks like I have two cockerels. They aren't a problem at this young age, though they want absolutely nothing to do with me, not even to eat treats that the others go crazy for. One is more dominate and significantly larger than the other. They pal around together and seem to prefer the company of each other. I feel terrible getting rid of one (as he will likely be used for food), but two roosters with only six hens (--I got four other hens of another breed from a better source at the same time) is too much, even if the two roos got along. I'm I better off keeping the less dominate roo? Will it make any difference? They will be kept in a 220 sq. ft. run and a coop 5x6x6.

 

[sourland]

The personality of the dominant cockerel is evident. The personality of the less dominant may change if/when the dominant is removed.

 

[llcardinale]

Very good point. When I surrendered one of the deformed and smallest chick, the next in line of the smallest chicks had been picking on her ongoing and was a bit of a brat. Once the little one was gone that little bully ended up being the sweetest, most sociable of all the chicks. She loves to sit in my lap and be pet for as long as possible, which was a surprise, and she's a bit of a clown and gets along with everyone.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

When cockerels grow up woth thrir same-age flockmates, things can get ugly when they hit puberty. Cockerels mature earlier than pullets. So the boys may start to harass the pullets and it may not be pretty. I was just reading a thread on this earlier. The dominant cockerel was not letting the pullets out of the coop. Many experienced chicken keepers advise waiting until the pullets are laying, then getting a mature rooster known to be good with hens and also not human aggressive. A rooster that grew up in a flock of older hens is often ideal, as those old biddies will probably have taught him manners and respect. Pullets the same age as the cockerel can't do that.

Many chicken owners ask themselves if they even really need a rooster. Your hens will lay plenty of eggs without one. Do you need one to protect the flock? Not necessarily. A good one will sound the alarm so the flock can seek cover if necessary but a dominant hen can do that, too. Many roosters do not fight the threat but herd or lead the flock to safety. If a rooster does take a stand, he often pays with his life. You only really need a rooster if you intend to hatch chicks, although some of us (self included) feel the flock is happiest with "a man about the place." But I happen to have a jewel of a rooster at the moment.

So ultimately the choice is yours. There may come a time when you'll feel the need to separate your cockerel(s) from your pullets for a while, to let their hormones calm down a bit. If you can't do that, then rehoming might be your best option, preferably while still young, before they turn into ... well, jerks.

 

[llcardinale]

When cockerels grow up woth thrir same-age flockmates, things can get ugly when they hit puberty. Cockerels mature earlier than pullets. So the boys may start to harass the pullets and it may not be pretty. I was just reading a thread on this earlier. The dominant cockerel was not letting the pullets out of the coop. Many experienced chicken keepers advise waiting until the pullets are laying, then getting a mature rooster known to be good with hens and also not human aggressive. A rooster that grew up in a flock of older hens is often ideal, as those old biddies will probably have taught him manners and respect. Pullets the same age as the cockerel can't do that.

Many chicken owners ask themselves if they even really need a rooster. Your hens will lay plenty of eggs without one. Do you need one to protect the flock? Not necessarily. A good one will sound the alarm so the flock can seek cover if necessary but a dominant hen can do that, too. Many roosters do not fight the threat but herd or lead the flock to safety. If a rooster does take a stand, he often pays with his life. You only really need a rooster if you intend to hatch chicks, although some of us (self included) feel the flock is happiest with "a man about the place." But I happen to have a jewel of a rooster at the moment.

So ultimately the choice is yours. There may come a time when you'll feel the need to separate your cockerel(s) from your pullets for a while, to let their hormones calm down a bit. If you can't do that, then rehoming might be your best option, preferably while still young, before they turn into ... well, jerks.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and experience. I may have one person, my vet, interested in taking one of them. I'll keep the other as long as he's well enough behaved. They're Salmon Faverolle, which are know to be rather docile, so if that is the case I'll keep one, but not the other. I know I'll never have more than eight hens, so two roos are out of the question. I won't keep any animal that becomes a danger to the others, even as painful as it is to have to give one up.