new head rooster, should i worry about other roo?

greytmommy

Songster
8 Years
Mar 26, 2011
297
3
111
ok, so our banty cochin has been head dude for over a year. he is a good roo. watches out for his girls, he is super friendly and will even let my girls pick him up and hold him.

we got new chicks in Feb. two endec up being roos. one of the roos looks like a frizzled cochin/silkie mix. he is really cool looking. the farmer just called the chicks "frizzles". anyhoo this frizzle roo has recently won head rooseter in the flock. my older banty roo looks like he got pretty beat up. his comb/waddles are covered in sores, but there is nothing fresh. the old roo now hangs away from the flock and is either always alone or maybe has one or two of the lower hens with him. the frizzle roos runs him off all the time if he tries to get with the rest of the flock.
i have not heard any fights in the coop, and they free range during the day so plenty of space. the third roo is lowest in the pecking order and is basically treated like a hen.

do i need to worry about the older roo? the frizzle roo isnt mean to us, but he isnt as sweet as the older guy.....but he looks AWESOME so is great to look at. will they settle into the new order after some time? i dont want my older roo to be depressed....

any suggestions, advice or wisdom?
 
If you're not seeing anything fresh, then I'd say he has accepted his "demotion." Is the new head roo allowing him inside the coop at night??? Since you free range during the day (ample space), that would be my biggest concern...
If you notice fresh wounds sometimes though, I'd consider rehoming one of them unless you can provide a different coop for the old guy (and maybe a few of the lower gals would opt to stay with him)... I don't like any of my birds to be (or look) beat up or worn out...
 
no issues in the coop. head roo is not keeping the other roo out. i havent even heard any fighting and i am here all day. it seems the hens have split...the same few hens hang out w/ each roo, and then there are a couple "free agents" that go back and forth.

i will keep an eye on the situation to make sure my older guy isnt getting hurt....thanks.
 

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