Culling in the brooder?

[Illini]

Hi.

I've heard some say that they cull roosters for temperament while still in the brooder. My banties should be hatching out my next batch of Barred Rocks soon, and I was wondering if anyone could offer some tips for getting stellar roos?

Thanks in advance!

Kathy

[oregon woodsmok]

I'm a bit skeptical about making any determination about temperament while in the brooder.

You get good temperament by choosing your brood stock with excellent temperament as one of your top priorities. Then you reinforce that good temperament with proper care and good raising. It's not that hard to ruin good temperament with bad handling.

It's hard for me to imagine a fluffy little baby roo coming at you spurring and striking. I suppose if one did, you might want to cull that one. Seriously, do people get attacked by down covered baby chicks?

[olivehill]

I would be highly suspect of any method or person that claims to be able to fully evaluate and cull cockerels at any age less than 14-16 weeks. I have raised many, many roosters to maturity and can tell you there is no way to fully evaluate a cockerel prior to sexual maturity, much less prior to 6-8 weeks old. They're babies. Not only is their temperament not completely set in stone at that age, their build and propensity for growth has only just begun to be evident.

[Cyngbaeld]

If you have a chick tormenting other chicks, that one is more than very likely to be aggressive. If I hear screaming from the brooder, I watch to see what is going on. If I see one tormenting another it goes. I have many roosters that free range and very little trouble from any of them.

[Illini]

Originally Posted by Cyngbaeld

I have many roosters that free range and very little trouble from any of them.

Cyngbaeld, do you think that there is a "critical mass" of roosters necessary to keep the peace? In other words, do you feel that one rooster can be over confident and a potential menace, but several roosters can keep each other in check?

I have tried to keep my rooster numbers matched to the number of hens available, but could keeping an "heir and a spare" for each or some make them more docile with people?

I appreciate folks taking time to consider my question!

Kathy

[jerryf]

Too many roosters will result in bare backed hens from too much mounting. Worried hens will also not lay well. Best is one roo for 8-10 hens
Jerry

[Cyngbaeld]

Originally Posted by Illini

Cyngbaeld, do you think that there is a "critical mass" of roosters necessary to keep the peace? In other words, do you feel that one rooster can be over confident and a potential menace, but several roosters can keep each other in check?

I have tried to keep my rooster numbers matched to the number of hens available, but could keeping an "heir and a spare" for each or some make them more docile with people?

I appreciate folks taking time to consider my question!

Kathy

I don't think there is a "critical mass" per se and a lot depends on your set up. I keep Great Pyrs with the flocks and have fairly decent perimeter fencing. So I do not close coops at night and everybody free ranges unless I am collecting hatching eggs. Many of the birds don't stay within the perimeter fence, but spread out into mine and the neighbors' pastures.

I have several dominant roosters, but none are particularly aggressive. I see an occasional play fight that rarely amounts to much. If one starts to batter the others, he is generally removed from the flock quickly.

I'm not even sure the ratio of roos to hens right now. I have at least a dozen roos that are destined for canning jars as soon as I can catch them, but they aren't causing much ruckus.

Some hens are always going to be bare backed even with 25 hens to 1 rooster, he'll have a favorite. If you have the birds penned, you do want to keep the rooster/hen ratio in balance though. My hens can avoid the roos if they want. If you are collecting hatching eggs in a bird with pea comb or walnut comb you don't want more than 5 or6 hens per rooster, BTW.

Originally Posted by Cyngbaeld

If you have a chick tormenting other chicks, that one is more than very likely to be aggressive. If I hear screaming from the brooder, I watch to see what is going on. If I see one tormenting another it goes. I have many roosters that free range and very little trouble from any of them.

Other than obviously ill or injured this is the only thing I can think of that would cause me to cull a bird still in the brooder.

Now once they are in the grow-out pen that can be different.

[Illini]

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts. I'm hoping that I'll get a rooster or two that will be worth naming ( other than, "Stew," "Casserole," or "Fricassee" ) in this batch!

Kathy