More boys than expected.

[SFalpaca]

I did search the forums, but each breed is so different, none of them fit. I have 2 full size girls, in a separated coop and run, but attached to the big ones, so they don't get lonely. They don't do boys. I call them the artemis culb. They are happy.

Then we had 1 roo, and 9 girls. All of them a bantams. The roo is a mutt from some previous chickens that we had. Sir Popper (Poppy) is a good boy. He is assertive but not aggressive with us or the hens. We can't pick him up anymore, but we can hand feed him meal worms.

One of the hens is a white Silkie, the only white bird - everyone else is red, dark gray, black, maybe a white head. She was getting picked on a bit and was always off by herself. So we got 6 porcelin D'uucles and 6 silkies. They are now 21 weeks old. I figured the light gray and maybe white, would help her not stand out. I assumed we'd get a couple boys. But we would have enough girls. But out of 12 I didn't expect 6 boys!

So first the the two D'uucle boys appeared. Rosemont and Izzy. Rosemont is a assertive but so far ok. I figured he'd be beta. Izzy is actually a hobbit. Very gentle at this point. I was hoping that was it, but watching carefully. Poppy accepted Rosie and Izzy, at least so far. We can still pick and hand feed Rosie and Izzy up. But Rosie is turning into a bit of a snot. He bit me the other day when I picked him up. I pecked him in the back of the head with my finger. He looked hurt - "how could you?". LOL So I think he will soon be just hand fed. Both boys have tried to mate a girl once or twice. Poppy runs over and just pecks either the girl or the boy, then walks off. So I thought we were good.

But now the Silkie boys are starting to mature. Lavendar, Shadow, and Opal are what you expect from Silkies. Calm, gentle, little hobbits. We can pick them up, hand feed them, carry them around. Lavendar and Opal are frequently pecked on and chased by the girls. But Eclipse says their pronouns are dragon. He's fine with people. He gets a little excited about taking worms, but happy to be picked up. Last night, he walked up to Rosie, bit him, then immediately tried to mate a girl, some of the other boys pull him off and chase him a bit. Then 15 min's later chased him again. They didn't try to hurt him. They don't chase him otherwise. But it was around 6pm when this happen, and all the young ones were crabby and needed to go to bed. Poppy was outside in the run. He came to the windowsill and watched the short chase, then left before it was over. I've watched them today on the camera, and everyone has got on fine. A couple little squabbles. But honestly, the wellsummer and seabright hens behave worse than any of the males.

On the whole, I would say they have gotten on very well. But I'm concerned.

Our coop, not including the artemis club, is 90 sqft, and outside run is 216 sqft. In the winter they will have access to the barn during the day - so 400 sqft. So I think we have enough space, but we don't have 6 hens for 1 roo. But we have Silkies. And D'uucles are also known for gentle temperment. Am I native to think this could work?

My husband and I were thinking we could close the top of the artemis club and extend the coop (think second floor of a house) which would add about 30 sqft, and if we converted the tack room on the other side and made doors in the bottom, that would give them about another 40sqft. Which would almost double their indoor space. We've also talked about extending the outside run.

My plan B, is dividing the coop and run, and having a rooster flock. I can put up tarps so they can't see each other, but they will hear each other. So I still don't know if it would work.

Am I just kidding myself and I should separate them now before there is a problem?

 

[sourland]

Fighting is a problem that will likely appear as they jostle for position. A sometimes greater problem is when they pull a mating rooster off the back of a hen. This can cause the mating rooster to dig in his feet injuring the back/sides of the hen. It can also escalate to 'gang breeding' the hen.

 

[FrostRanger]

So if I read that right you have 7 boys, 6 of them cockerels and 15 girls? I would rehome all but one of the boys as that's nowhere near enough girls for that many boys. Aside from the boys fighting amongst themselves as they get older, they will likely overbreed the girls which not only makes them look rough, but is very stressful for them. In general one should keep as few males as possible. For some that's zero, and others it's one or 2. You aren't guaranteed problems if you keep more males than necessary, but your odds for trouble go up the more males you keep

As for a rooster flock, it may or may not work. Sometimes it works great, sometimes it doesn't work at all, and others it works until it doesn't. You'll want even more space for them than you would for an all hen or mixed flock and plenty of places to hide if you go that route and a plan b if things go south

 

[SFalpaca]

So if I read that right you have 7 boys, 6 of them cockerels and 15 girls? I would rehome all but one of the boys as that's nowhere near enough girls for that many boys. Aside from the boys fighting amongst themselves as they get older, they will likely overbreed the girls which not only makes them look rough, but is very stressful for them. In general one should keep as few males as possible. For some that's zero, and others it's one or 2. You aren't guaranteed problems if you keep more males than necessary, but your odds for trouble go up the more males you keep

As for a rooster flock, it may or may not work. Sometimes it works great, sometimes it doesn't work at all, and others it works until it doesn't. You'll want even more space for them than you would for an all hen or mixed flock and plenty of places to hide if you go that route and a plan b if things go south

How much extra space?

 

[FrostRanger]

How much extra space?

I'd do 15-20 square feet per bird but the more the better

Again, there's zero guaranteed that a rooster flock will work so know that even if you build an area for them, you might end up having to do something else with them anyways

 

[SFalpaca]

I'd do 15-20 square feet per bird but the more the better

Again, there's zero guaranteed that a rooster flock will work so know that even if you build an area for them, you might end up having to do something else with them anyways

I would have 15 sqft for each rooster. But is that for full/regular size or bantams?

 

[FrostRanger]

I would have 15 sqft for each rooster. But is that for full/regular size or bantams?

Either, bantams often have a lot of attitude so myself and others don't generally recommend less room for them especially since no chicken ever complained about extra room

 

[JacinLarkwell]

But out of 12 I didn't expect 6 boys!

I mean, the male to female ratio is generally 50:50 for st run

 

[SFalpaca]

I mean, the male to female ratio is generally 50:50 for st run

I haven't had that myself. We've been getting 1-5 or 1-6.

 

[SFalpaca]

Either, bantams often have a lot of attitude so myself and others don't generally recommend less room for them especially since no chicken ever complained about extra room

Fortunately 4 of the 6 cockerals seem to be hobbits according to my daughter - they want a hoodie, a cup of tea, and a book or maybe watch the world go by.