two fighting roosters

[QChickieMama]

I have two flocks of chickens, one behind the barn on L side of yard, and 3 chicken tractors on the R side of the yard. For years, I've had one rooster in each flock.

They can talk back and forth, but they've understood the imaginary boundary.

Now one rooster has decided to try to kill the slightly younger rooster. They're both full-grown. My temporary solution is to not allow the older rooster to free range.

What other ideas do y'all have for me? The roosters are both gorgeous and young and strong. They super help protect the flocks, and I do like to add to my population with fertilized eggs. I hate to remove one! Tell me there's another way.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I'm lost since you said "and 3 chicken tractors on the R side of the yard"
So by chicken tractors do you mean something like movable coops not tractors chickens are confined in?
What was the imaginary boundaries?
Was this 2 flocks that just didn't happen to go in each other's area before? If so how long did that go on?

 

[Shadrach]

Now one rooster has decided to try to kill the slightly younger rooster.

What exactly does this mean? They're fighting. They tend to do that.
You don't mention any life threatening injuries (?)

 

[QChickieMama]

What exactly does this mean? They're fighting. They tend to do that.
You don't mention any life threatening injuries (?)

I saw the older one had chased the younger one all over the yard, trapped him by a bush, pinned him down, and was pecking repeatedly at his head. I ran out there to rescue the younger one. Older one strutted off with a beak full of feathers.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I rotate free range times. Either 1/2 day each or whole day every other day. I have a second/extra fence leaning against my runs so there's distance between them to stop fighting directly at run.

 

[Acre4Me]

I saw the older one had chased the younger one all over the yard, trapped him by a bush, pinned him down, and was pecking repeatedly at his head. I ran out there to rescue the younger one. Older one strutted off with a beak full of feathers.

Sounds about right if they can intermingle.

 

[jmac11]

I don't have much advice but am also seeking advice I have two 11 month old roosters that have been raised together since day old chicks. I separated them from my hens at about 5 to 6 months due to their teenage hormones. They have always gotten along just fine.

During the recent cold snap they both suffered frostbite, and the weather was projected to get colder and stay extremely cold. We don't typically have multiple days of -12 to -17 windchill here. Being unsure of what to do, I thought their best chance of survival during the cold snap was to put them in with my 14 hens who have a much better chicken coop than their rooster hut.

Everything was fine for about 8 days and then a bloody battle broke out this weekend. They had blood all over their combs and wattles. I was afraid one lost an eye. After what seemed like an eternity of fighting, I used a broom to get in between them (not advised) and moved the one who is aggressive toward humans back in the rooster hut.

Tonight, I tried to reunite them about 10 minutes before sundown and it went badly. The attack was on again in full force. I moved the dominant rooster who is not aggressive toward humans, back to the hen house.

I'm assuming they will never get along again. Is this accurate?

 

[QChickieMama]

I don't have much advice but am also seeking advice I have two 11 month old roosters that have been raised together since day old chicks. I separated them from my hens at about 5 to 6 months due to their teenage hormones. They have always gotten along just fine.

During the recent cold snap they both suffered frostbite, and the weather was projected to get colder and stay extremely cold. We don't typically have multiple days of -12 to -17 windchill here. Being unsure of what to do, I thought their best chance of survival during the cold snap was to put them in with my 14 hens who have a much better chicken coop than their rooster hut.

Everything was fine for about 8 days and then a bloody battle broke out this weekend. They had blood all over their combs and wattles. I was afraid one lost an eye. After what seemed like an eternity of fighting, I used a broom to get in between them (not advised) and moved the one who is aggressive toward humans back in the rooster hut.

Tonight, I tried to reunite them about 10 minutes before sundown and it went badly. The attack was on again in full force. I moved the dominant rooster who is not aggressive toward humans, back to the hen house.

I'm assuming they will never get along again. Is this accurate?

You put two roosters in a pen of hens? Yeah, I don't think that works at all. They'll fight for the rights to all the girls. You may need to adios one of them if you want one to be in with the girls.

 

[jmac11]

My 2 roosters have been raised in the coop/run with the hens. They lived together for more time than they have been separated and even in separation, their runs are side by side. Obviously, my rooster/hen ratio is too low. I've read about many flocks that live with more than one rooster with a ratio of 10 to 1. Nonetheless, I've now created a problem for myself by trying to save my roosters from the cold. They will never be friends again, and I really don't want either one of them with my hens. I think my hens are happier without a rooster, but I can't manage 3 separate runs and coops right now. Maybe when I'm retired....

Edit: my 1st post may have been unclear in regards to space. My coop is large enough for 2X the # of birds I have, and my run is huge. Space is not an issue for my flock.