How too keep the peace between my 2 Roos?

[StephanRanch]

I have a black Japanese and a mille fleur. They have never fought before. They have free range of over 2 acres and 7 hens, which I know is below the 10:1 ratio but like I said, they've always been friendly to each other. About a week ago a fox stirred a few of my neighbors hens into my yard and I seimultaneously gave away two roosters, keeping the two I have now. All the sudden today the two Roos start chasing and fighting each other. The mille fleur was even chased out of my yard. He has never once before been out of the yard and was bleeding more than just a scratch'a worth. I'd hate to lock either of them up and can't do anything about the number of girls but I don't like them fighting. Am I doing something to stress them out? Can I lower their hostility towards each other? Is this just a temporary thing to determine dominance?

 

[enola]

When the new hens joined the flock and you removed the roosters from the flock, you drastically rearranged the the flock dynamics. How old are the roosters that are fighting?

 

[centrarchid]

You lowered critical mass to point where fighting for entire harem becomes more likely to be worth risk. Sometimes more is better with aggressive males. I employ this concept with American Dominiques and colony breeding fishes.


You can also do as I do with some of my free-ranging flocks where they are setup so as to have discrete territories. This takes a little habitat enrichment with cover patches for loafing areas and feeding stations for each territory. You may or may not require separate roost facilities. Two acres is a little tight for my approach on my land but might still be possible with bantam sized birds. It might be possible to expedite process of spitting flock by using a pen to contain on in the area you want it to occupy and to lure other flock into the other area with a feeding station.

 

[StephanRanch]

When the new hens joined the flock and you removed the roosters from the flock, you drastically rearranged the the flock dynamics. How old are the roosters that are fighting?

All of my chickens are 5 months. The stray female was caught and taken home today. I thought getting rid of roosters would have the opposote effect of what I'm seeing. The aggressive rooster is ripping out the others feathers and would not let the other into the coop tonight. I ended up caging the aggressor with his own water source inside the coop. His aggression is turning towards the hens now as well. This is not ok with me. He is going to stop, or he is going to be dinner or a capon. I am very upset about the whole thing. He has pulled undeveloped feathers from his brother that bled and weren't even unsheathed yet. The back of the brothers neck is bloody. This rooster seeks out the one he is bullying even when he is as far away as possible in hiding. Even if this is going to blow over I am not sure I can turn the other cheek for even another day.

 

[StephanRanch]

You lowered critical mass to point where fighting for entire harem becomes more likely to be worth risk. Sometimes more is better with aggressive males. I employ this concept with American Dominiques and colony breeding fishes.


You can also do as I do with some of my free-ranging flocks where they are setup so as to have discrete territories. This takes a little habitat enrichment with cover patches for loafing areas and feeding stations for each territory. You may or may not require separate roost facilities. Two acres is a little tight for my approach on my land but might still be possible with bantam sized birds. It might be possible to expedite process of spitting flock by using a pen to contain on in the area you want it to occupy and to lure other flock into the other area with a feeding station.

So if I get more roosters the fighting might stop? What about my girls won't they get worn out? They are my priority above the boys. I don't have the resources to have two coops and I don't think they would stay on their own sides after being used to having the whole yard.

 

[centrarchid]

If resources tight, then go down to one rooster. If second desired as backup, then pen him elsewhere. Make so outside bird cannot interact with him through walls of pen.