What should I do with excess rooster?

[kittycat1356]

Okay, so spring is coming, and I've noticed more fighting amongst my roosters, though nothing too bad. I keep my standards and Bantams together, and my leader rooster Is a (pretty large) standard. Should I separate my standards from my Bantams? Or will that stress them out? The ladies seem to get along fine with him, and my smallest Bantam occasionally squats for him, but I'm not entirely sure how far he actually gets. I also would hate to move all my chickens and then have them stressed out and lonely.
Am I just being absurd? Lol

 

[BackyardDove]

Okay, so spring is coming, and I've noticed more fighting amongst my roosters, though nothing too bad. I keep my standards and Bantams together, and my leader rooster Is a (pretty large) standard. Should I separate my standards from my Bantams? Or will that stress them out? The ladies seem to get along fine with him, and my smallest Bantam occasionally squats for him, but I'm not entirely sure how far he actually gets. I also would hate to move all my chickens and then have them stressed out and lonely.
Am I just being absurd? Lol

You may have to eventually separate your bantams from your standards, depending on the breed and how small he is. My Booted Bantams had to be separated from my main flock because my Booted Bantam rooster was getting beaten up by the bigger boys, even though they were all raised together. He lost a few feathers and his comb was bloodied, but luckily I separated them before anything terrible happened. Really, whether or not you should separate is totally up to your judgement, in the end. I have other bantam breeds, a roo included, who get along fine with my standard roo and each other. Your boys may be just fine together if you're roos are willing to get along. Some fighting is to be expected, but if you begin to notice these fights becoming bloody, I would definitely separate your bantams from the standards before things get too bad.

However, separating them won't stress them out or make them lonely. If the fights between the roos are getting bad and/or are drawing blood, the bantam is under a whole lot more stress being with the standard roo than he is being separated. As for being lonely, they don't need a whole flock of hens to be happy. My Booted Bantam roo has been perfectly happy with his one hen for the past two years

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have kept bantam and standard roosters together in the same shed for years. I do have a large area so the bantams can get away by slipping under or over a fence quickly if necessary. I haven't seen any real fights between them. The bantam roosters occasionally go at it in spring.

I would use your own judgment. If you see the bantams might be in trouble than it's best to remove them. Another option is to give them things they can duck under or fly up on if necessary.

 

[kittycat1356]

Thanks for the replies ^^ well my standard is never the one to initiate a fight, but when they try to sweat at him he gets pretty angry and chases them down and gives them a few rough pecks. (Its mainly one d'uccle rooster and a Silkie roo that doesnt like when standard roo mates with any of the hens)

Also the d'uccle rooster is beating up on ANOTHER bantam rooster and there was a tiny scrape on his comb. It's also rather chilly here still, about 40-60°F and if I separated him would be be okay alone?
( I could put him in a rabbit cage inside the pen still since its safe from wind and kinda warmer in there anyway.)?

He's very pretty, being a millie fleur d'uccle, but he starts fights and worries me, if I'm going to be attacked by any of my roosters it would be him. ( I wouldn't be bothered if I didn't have to crouch so low in their pen, I'm about 2ft above his eye level at that point)

Also is it okay my standard mates with my Bantams? He's a fairly large bird, at least 7 lbs. My smallest Bantam is about 1.5 lbs... I do want to get some standard silkied feathered birds but I'm not sure of the best way.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My d'uccle roosters have always been a bit scrappy. A little scrape on his comb is nothing to worry about. I've had them get into some pretty bloody battles. I personally always let mine work it out if possible.

You temperatures are quite mild to me. We are currently teens to twenties, which I thought was mild. Your rooster will be fine by himself. I always pen mine where they can be seen so later I can often let them out without any issues.

Many bantams can breed standard hens and some can't. So observation should let you see if the rooster is hitting his mark.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Spring is always scary.


You can try seperetaing them,but I do not think it is all that necessarily.