Roosters in the Woods

[Evadig]

Should I have them live together or separately? They won’t be allowed near the hens for some time but they would still be able to see and hear them.

 

[Evadig]

I'm pretty sure the brown one is a Golden Phoenix (there's a picture of one about 1/4 way down the page that resembles him pretty closely):

https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/phoenix.10871/reviews

The white one looks like a Twentse:

https://twentsehoenders.nl/english/

What do y'all think?

These breeds seem to be pretty rare so I wish I knew why someone would dump them!
The brown one has spurs about 1/2 inch long and the white one doesn't have any or very little.

 

[Evadig]

Would the two roosters I caught be alright if they sleep in two different coops but share a run together during the day? I read that you can’t separate them more than two hours or they’ll fight.

 

[Red Mangrove]

They're probably fine hanging out together if they were companions in the wild. Most roosters aren't mindless berserkers and will tolerate other males they grew up with

 

[WoDia]

I agree with @Red Mangrove. It’s fine keeping them together, since they already depended on each other in the wild and seem to like each others company. They are soooo pretty.

 

[Evadig]

@WoDia
@Red Mangrove
@LTAY1946 (this is the original thread I made about the two roosters)

Just wanted to let y’all know that I made a big pen 10’ x 10’ for the two roosters and they were fighting in a matter of minutes over the hens. The brown one bullies the other even when the hens are out of sight. He is also very much infatuated by the girls; he dances for them and tries to show them food. They take to his attentions with pleasure. What shall I do about the white one? If I get him his own set of hens do you think they would be able to coexist? For now, though, the roosters will have to live in separate houses, and the temperatures get below freezing at nights. Would they both be fine all alone like that?

 

[LTAY1946]

@WoDia
@Red Mangrove
@LTAY1946 (this is the original thread I made about the two roosters)

Just wanted to let y’all know that I made a big pen 10’ x 10’ for the two roosters and they were fighting in a matter of minutes over the hens. The brown one bullies the other even when the hens are out of sight. He is also very much infatuated by the girls; he dances for them and tries to show them food. They take to his attentions with pleasure. What shall I do about the white one? If I get him his own set of hens do you think they would be able to coexist? For now, though, the roosters will have to live in separate houses, and the temperatures get below freezing at nights. Would they both be fine all alone like that?

I doubt that they will ever coexist in the same pen no matter how big or how many hens are in it. For the peace to be kept most I don't see any way except for separate pens for east set of them. Below freezing shouldn't be a problem as long as you have sufficient wind breaks and rain protection. I had pullets that were just over 4 months old last winter that took 15° nights in stride in a protected hoop coop.

 

[Evadig]

All right, thank you! They are my first real roosters and I have no clue how to handle them…but I’ll just keep them separated and when their quarantine is up, let only one out at a time to run with the hens.

 

[Red Mangrove]

I'm a free-ranger with no coop experience, but in my experience outside roosters will typically only fight a single time seriously after which a pecking order will be established. However it's possible that two roosters with game blood trapped together could turn lethal

The most practical solution would probably just be rehoming the one you like less

 

[WoDia]

Two separate flocks would probably be best, if you have the space. Then, everybody’s happy. I’m glad you’re thinking of keeping them both. Continue to update us!