**PICTURES ADDED*** Jack OR Jill...........More than ONE Rooster??

[bjw113]

Need some advice here.. I am planning on posting some pictures later.. but is there any truth to the idea that IF you have a dominant rooster, that any other potential male roosters WILL NOT develop... at the beginning of May, we got 6 more chickens to add to our flock of 20+ hens, hoping to get at least one rooster. I have always understood that you should have one rooster for every 10-12 hens. Probably by 3 weeks old, I knew for certain that one of the barred rocks was a rooster...

well my other barred rock has a very large comb also, even though she/he is probably 1/4 smaller than the rooster. I have had it suggested to me that this other barred rock is a rooster too, but undeveloped because of the other rooster... IS this true? I know I have heard of others having LOTS of roosters and knowing it... any other ideas.. I have not seen this boy/girl lay an egg yet, but I am NOT out in the hen house all that often, so likely not to have seen her if she did... any other ideas... THANKS so much!

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WELL Friends... Jack & Jill or Jack & Jack II?? Thanks so much!

 

[NonnasBabies]

I'll be honest I've never heard of it affecting the development of the rooster just in the attitude!!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Erm... not true. I have 7 roosters currently (they're going to freezer camp tomorrow) of various ages from various hatches. All are well developed and crowing and mating.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Quote:
X2

Some may not crow as early when there's a dom.

 

[BusyBlonde]

x3. We had 8 BR roosters, sent 5 to freezer camp, still have 3. There is definitely a dominant rooster, but all 3 mate with the hens. The dominant one is the only one I see crowing, though.

 

[gritsar]

I'd have to say it depends on the rooster. I've had several occasions where young cockerels looked very much like hens right up till the time I re-homed the alpha. Next day, I had roosters coming out of my ears. I call it the Rooster Vacumm.

 

[sourland]

It happens. A strongly dominant rooster in an enclosed area with younger cockerels can exert a testosterone suppression in the younger birds. Under free range situations this is not as likely to occur.

 

[bjw113]

Should have give further information.. Free ranged birds on approx 2 acres... we have a hen house for them to go in at night... but that was my thinking too, that with that much area and that many hens, we should see some more activity IF indeed Jill was a Jack also..

 

[sourland]

If 'Jill' does not have pointy saddle and hackle feathers and a curved flowing tail, she is probably indeed a hen. Many hens while at peak production have greatly enlarged combs.

 

[bjw113]

Pictures added... can some of you offer your take. I've had one friend tell me it is TWO roosters?? what say you?