Feathers_and_Shells
Hatching
- Apr 25, 2025
- 1
- 0
- 5
Hello! We’re pretty new to having chickens. And this forum always has amazing information.
We’ve had chickens for a little less than a year. We raised up 9 hens and 1 rooster from chicks (all together). One hen and the rooster were old English game bantams (or silver duckwing bantams). The Rooster was an absolute gem. He was a totally gentlemen.
Unfortunately, he passed away while protecting the flock from a hawk. He did however fertilize some of our regular sized hens and we incubated the eggs. We got 3 chicks! Which was a great experience but all 3 happened to be cockerels.
We want to keep all 3 if possible.
After our first rooster died, the hens kinda started picking on each other way more. Sparse feathers and bald spots and they got really skittish even around me. We figured it’s because they were accustomed to being taken care of by a good rooster since the beginning. So we wanted to get another rooster for them.
The 3 roosters we hatched are now 2 months old (definitely bantam size) and we did the “see-no-touch” method of introducing. But we only did it for 2 days. And then put them in the coop last night so they woke up with each other. It’s the first day. The 3 rooster are sticking together and kinda taking over territory above the hens. They chase the hens away from the food and water in the run and even preventing them from going into the coop sometimes. Like they’re claiming territory and leaving the hens out of it.
People have claimed they’ve kept multiple roosters with a small amount of hens so I guess we’re trying to do that too.
I greatly appreciate anyone’s input.
Are the roosters too immature? Did we not do the “see-no-touch” method long enough? Should I make a bachelor pad and wait until they’re more mature (like 5-6 months old) and then introduce them? Or just give it a couple days?
Thank you!
We’ve had chickens for a little less than a year. We raised up 9 hens and 1 rooster from chicks (all together). One hen and the rooster were old English game bantams (or silver duckwing bantams). The Rooster was an absolute gem. He was a totally gentlemen.
Unfortunately, he passed away while protecting the flock from a hawk. He did however fertilize some of our regular sized hens and we incubated the eggs. We got 3 chicks! Which was a great experience but all 3 happened to be cockerels.
We want to keep all 3 if possible.
After our first rooster died, the hens kinda started picking on each other way more. Sparse feathers and bald spots and they got really skittish even around me. We figured it’s because they were accustomed to being taken care of by a good rooster since the beginning. So we wanted to get another rooster for them.
The 3 roosters we hatched are now 2 months old (definitely bantam size) and we did the “see-no-touch” method of introducing. But we only did it for 2 days. And then put them in the coop last night so they woke up with each other. It’s the first day. The 3 rooster are sticking together and kinda taking over territory above the hens. They chase the hens away from the food and water in the run and even preventing them from going into the coop sometimes. Like they’re claiming territory and leaving the hens out of it.
People have claimed they’ve kept multiple roosters with a small amount of hens so I guess we’re trying to do that too.
I greatly appreciate anyone’s input.
Are the roosters too immature? Did we not do the “see-no-touch” method long enough? Should I make a bachelor pad and wait until they’re more mature (like 5-6 months old) and then introduce them? Or just give it a couple days?
Thank you!
