Will the girls choose?

[llombardo]

If they're both well behaved and take care of their girls, give you space/respect, and you can still only keep one, think about which one will be easiest to move. Also consider that once they're out of your hands, you have no control over what happens to them and whether their destination is in freezer camp.

Leghorns are a dime a dozen. If you list him on Craigslist, he's probably more likely to end up in a pot. There's heaps of them and nobody is really looking for Leghorns for ornamental or breeding purposes. Wyandottes are prettier birds, especially the roos, and there are far fewer of them. They're far more likely to end up as ornamental birds or to be used for breeding purposes. They're also (generally) a lot gentler.

That is why I am going through a rescue. He gets adopted out to do a job or he lives the rest of his life at the rescue. If I can keep these guys without issue I will. I'm trying my hardest here.

It gets me sick thinking about it because roosters are just very disposable and I don't like it.

 

[MickWithChicks]

It gets me sick thinking about it because roosters are just very disposable and I don't like it.

I understand completely. I have a rooster flock of 4 roosters who get along really well (without any girls around!). They're all sex-linked boys, so everybody gets them from school hatching programs and nobody wants them. They're such well mannered little men, I'd hate to see them end up in a pot, so they've got full run of their own little space in an old stable.

 

[CannedMonster]

I understand completely. I have a rooster flock of 4 roosters who get along really well (without any girls around!). They're all sex-linked boys, so everybody gets them from school hatching programs and nobody wants them. They're such well mannered little men, I'd hate to see them end up in a pot, so they've got full run of their own little space in an old stable.

I’d like to provide a home for a few roos.
But I can’t put them somewhere where they can’t see the girls.
Plus I live in a neighborhood so there’s the noise factor.

 

[aart]

One is already going after the girls,

How old are these birds?
I'm guessing they are just coming into their hormones?
Are the girls laying yet?
Do you have a lot of space in coop and run?
It's hard choice, especially if they are just pets and you have no breeding plans.

 

[llombardo]

Well they fought as soon as they got in th

How old are these birds?
I'm guessing they are just coming into their hormones?
Are the girls laying yet?
Do you have a lot of space in coop and run?
It's hard choice, especially if they are just pets and you have no breeding plans.

The boys and two girls are almost 4 months. The other 4 girls are 8 weeks. The run/enclosure is 15x15. The coop can sleep 8 and there is a small run area that runs on the bottom of that too. The girls are not laying yet but I feel they are coming close--combs are getting redder.

All I wanted was 4 girls. They are my pets. I am attached and I hate being on this spot.

 

[aart]

The boys and two girls are almost 4 months. The other 4 girls are 8 weeks. The run/enclosure is 15x15. The coop can sleep 8 and there is a small run area that runs on the bottom of that too. The girls are not laying yet but I feel they are coming close--combs are getting redder.

All I wanted was 4 girls. They are my pets. I am attached and I hate being on this spot.

Typical onset of lay is 18-26 weeks, those pullets combs brightening then paling back out can keep you fooled for weeks. The boys will be jumping all the girls soon. I had just had to get rid of three 12wo cockerels because they wouldn't leave the 7wo's alone.
Are the 8wo's living with the 4mo's..... in harmony?

"can sleep 8" according to manufacturer?

You may need to rehome some of the birds then if you only wanted 4.
It stinks and is hard to do, but crowding is worse.

 

[llombardo]

Typical onset of lay is 18-26 weeks, those pullets combs brightening then paling back out can keep you fooled for weeks. The boys will be jumping all the girls soon. I had just had to get rid of three 12wo cockerels because they wouldn't leave the 7wo's alone.
Are the 8wo's living with the 4mo's..... in harmony?

"can sleep 8" according to manufacturer?

You may need to rehome some of the birds then if you only wanted 4.
It stinks and is hard to do, but crowding is worse.

The way it is in there they have plenty of room to sleep. They all roost next to each other now and take up a quarter of the space. Believe me I check on them every night at about midnite. I'm pretty sure they think I've lost my mind.

I have just put the 8 week olds outside. They are not together. The little ones are in the coop where they can't get pecked at but they can see the older ones. The area they are in is up higher so I'm not sure that the older ones know they are there, but at night(started last night) the little ones are in a med size carrier in the sleeping area with the bigger ones.

The leghorn is way ahead of the game. He perfected crowing at 8 weeks and started with the girls a few weeks ago. He perfected that a couple days ago.

 

[CannedMonster]

The way it is in there they have plenty of room to sleep. They all roost next to each other now and take up a quarter of the space. Believe me I check on them every night at about midnite. I'm pretty sure they think I've lost my mind.

I have just put the 8 week olds outside. They are not together. The little ones are in the coop where they can't get pecked at but they can see the older ones. The area they are in is up higher so I'm not sure that the older ones know they are there, but at night(started last night) the little ones are in a med size carrier in the sleeping area with the bigger ones.

The leghorn is way ahead of the game. He perfected crowing at 8 weeks and started with the girls a few weeks ago. He perfected that a couple days ago.

Leghorns are smaller and tend to mature faster than the heavier breeds like your SLW.
My bantam Cochin is the same way. He started everything way before my LF guys.

 

[aart]

and started with the girls a few weeks ago. He perfected that a couple days ago.

Are they submitting?

 

[llombardo]

Are they submitting?

They were running like hell and squealing. Not so much anymore, so they either submit or stay away. He can get wherever they are, the silver lace can't, he is to big and he hasn't started yet.