Competing Roosters

skullgrrrl

Crowing
11 Years
Sep 10, 2012
374
334
256
My Coop
My Coop
ISO Advice re: ensuring roosters get along.

I've had a Japanese bantam for 3 years with a predominantly standard size flock (occasionally I have bantam hens, none at the moment). Last year I kept one standard cockerel out of my hatch and for many months he was subordinate to the rooster. One day the tables were turned and there must have been a fight (a little damage to the bantam's comb). I separated them for a few days (within view of each other), but as soon as I let the cockerel out of his pen he went after the bantam roo, who was clearly scared of him. I re-homed the 10 month old cockerel.

I've now got one of his 9 month old sons. He is subordinate to the roo, but gets chased when he tries to mate with the hens. Is there a way to promote some harmony or am I facing another situation of having to re-home one of them? I'd like to keep them both.
 
The answer is; maybe. With plenty of space, feeders, waterers, and separate areas, things might be okay. Or not. I've had issues sometimes in spring, with birds that were getting along until then, and had to rehome one or more cockerels or cock birds. This winter I have five males and 43 females of all ages, and things are fine. Ask me again in April or May! Mary
 
i have a decent sized coop with lots of roost bars and nest boxes - there don't seem to be issues there. the coop is housed within a 1200 sq ft pen with fruit trees and lots of places to hang out. i've got multiple feeders and waterers.

in addition to the rooster and cockerel i have @28 hens and pullets (some born in sept and nov).

i have a friend with the same number of hens but 5 roosters, ranging in size from OEG to Jersey Giant and they all get along.

it's not like there's constant aggression or conflict - i just notice that the cockerel often hangs back and sometimes the bantam rooster chases him away from the hens.

i'm not concerned with the cockerel - he will get bigger and presumably more confident. I'm worried that one day he'll stand up to the little guy, who won't be expecting it.
 
The only rooster who is allowed to mate the hens is the dominant one.The dominate roo is just doing his duties and assuring he stays top boss.Just have space in case of a fight.Have roost so the loser of the fight can run and get away.

I do not understand why you got rid of your last cockerel.He was chasing the other cockerel to show him he is the boss.As long as he could get away,there was no problem.
 
For what I can tell as long as the dominant rooster isn't too aggressive,and the cockerel can make it hsi first year,they do calm down and turn out getting fairly along.
 
TheTwoRoos: I think you got the story wrong. I re-homed my last cockerel because he went from being subordinate one day to attacking the dominant rooster the next. I wasn't home but I can only guess what happened. Roo had blood on his comb. When I let them out the next day (before I realized what had happened) the roo flew over the 6' fence. When we got him back it was clear that the cockerel had been the aggressor and the rooster was afraid of him. I put the cockerel in a 4'x9' pen within the larger pen for a few days and when I let him out the first thing he did was go after the bantam roo. I work during the day and was concerned for the little guy's safety so I found the cockerel a nice free-ranging home on acreage with lots of hens and no other competition.

I have kept one of his sons and am hoping that this time it will work out.
 

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