Hello, I have 2 roosters and 13 hens, all fancy/rare breeds and all standard size. One rooster and half the hens are 6 months old while the other rooster and half the hens are 7 months old but all raised together.
I have a black polish rooster who is 7 months old and very sweet and very good to the girls. The hens love him.
Rooster no. 2 is a blue & black cochin rooster who is 6 months old and was purchased with 5 cochin hens. The problem is the cochin rooster is trying to mate but he’s choosing the smallish Polish hens and they fear him, he grabs them by their feathered hats and some are missing feathers. The Cochin girls have no interest in him and he rarely mates with them. I saw him once try to mate with my buff Brahma hen but he fell off and he ran behind the hen house in shame. I also have a jubilee Orpington and a black speckled Orpington that love the polish rooster and avoid the Cochin rooster.
With 13 hens I’m lucky if I get 2 eggs a day, my polish girls are getting their feathers pulled, my cochin rooster seems to be lonely and my polish rooster is floating on cloud nine because he’s got pick of any girl.
Lastly, the roosters get along!
So I’m at a dilemma here … should I just wait to see how this pans out since they all are 6 & 7 months old? Should I sell my gorgeous cochin rooster so my polish hens can live without fear of getting pounced on? Do I have too many chickens? Can you tell I’m spiraling?
Our chicken house is 10 X 12 and we have a large covered attached run.
If you made it this far in my little henhouse saga, I thank you! Any advice is appreciated!
Warmly,
tj
*Pretty Boy Floyd looking for
I have a black polish rooster who is 7 months old and very sweet and very good to the girls. The hens love him.
Rooster no. 2 is a blue & black cochin rooster who is 6 months old and was purchased with 5 cochin hens. The problem is the cochin rooster is trying to mate but he’s choosing the smallish Polish hens and they fear him, he grabs them by their feathered hats and some are missing feathers. The Cochin girls have no interest in him and he rarely mates with them. I saw him once try to mate with my buff Brahma hen but he fell off and he ran behind the hen house in shame. I also have a jubilee Orpington and a black speckled Orpington that love the polish rooster and avoid the Cochin rooster.
With 13 hens I’m lucky if I get 2 eggs a day, my polish girls are getting their feathers pulled, my cochin rooster seems to be lonely and my polish rooster is floating on cloud nine because he’s got pick of any girl.
Lastly, the roosters get along!
So I’m at a dilemma here … should I just wait to see how this pans out since they all are 6 & 7 months old? Should I sell my gorgeous cochin rooster so my polish hens can live without fear of getting pounced on? Do I have too many chickens? Can you tell I’m spiraling?
Our chicken house is 10 X 12 and we have a large covered attached run.
If you made it this far in my little henhouse saga, I thank you! Any advice is appreciated!
Warmly,
tj
*Pretty Boy Floyd looking for
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