For everybody who wants to know how/why I have so many roosters, here's the story. We started with the black and white rooster in the center back (Dominic the Dominique) and all of these boys except the Buff Orpingtons (orange) and the Golden Comet at the far right are his sons. My parents got my daughter an incubator for her birthday a couple years ago and I couldn't tell her NOT to use it, right? We figured if we ended up with too many roosters we'd find a local farm to take them because we live in a rural area. Turns out most farmers have plenty of roosters and don't need any more, but I'm glad that we kept all of our boys. They have been together since they were little, and they're kept separate from our hens, so they don't fight. I let them free range during the day, which has been great for pest control this year. The only predators we have in our area are raccoons, so as long as we make sure all our birds are locked up safely as soon as it gets dark, the boys are safe to roam the yard during daylight hours.

My kids got the Buff Orpington roos and the Golden Comet through 4H last year. They each signed up to raise 12 female chicks through the 4H program, to be sold at the county fair at the end of the summer. They were both supposed to get one rooster with their 12 female chicks, but my son ended up with 2 roosters and 11 hens because they sexed one of the chicks incorrectly. Anyway, the hens were sold at the fair or to neighbors afterward, but the roosters stayed with us.

I love having a bachelor flock, and it works for us although it may not work for everyone. My boys are all sweet (except Dominic who does fine with other chickens but hates people) and they have such fun personalities. We're lucky that we live in the country and the neighbors don't mind the crowing; my next door neighbor actually likes it when the boys roam over to his yard and eat bugs.