4 month old cockerel problems

[SweetieChicken234]

Many will say (I have too, in the past) that you need a minimum of 8 hens per rooster. However, I've found there is no magic number that works with all flocks. Some roosters need 20 hens all to himself, others can share with only 5 hens between two of them. You just have to watch and see what they do.

Yes, multiple roosters CAN live together in peace.

I happen to have two roosters and an 8-month-old cockerel with about 40-45 hens. It's a lot of girls, yes, but it is the number I've found that is most peaceful in my flock. My boys get along very well with each other. They each know their place. There is a LITTLE bit of chasing with the older roos going after my young cockerel, but nothing violent and they rarely even make contact. The older roos never fuss with each other. They are best buddies and a great team for watching over the flock. The youngster is learning from them, and has even started collecting a harem of his own who follow him around.

I had a fourth rooster about a year ago, a big beautiful BPR. But he was a shy, submissive kind of guy and would not stand up for himself. He was attacked by a group of hens once (nearly killed him!) while the roos stood by and watched, no doubt chortling to themselves and cheering the girls on. He eventually quit trying to fit in. When they free-ranged, I'd see him way out on the fringes of the flock, all by his lonesome. When they were locked in the run, he'd hide inside the coop. It was very sad. He would have been quite happy being the only rooster in a small flock, but alas, I did not have the setup for it. I got lucky and was able to rehome him with a bunch of pullets to a gentleman who'd just lost his whole flock to a dog attack and was starting over.

This is the situation I may find myself in. I have a flock of 8- 9 week olds. They are outside with my flock in the baby pen. I want to keep one of those cockerels too. He is my little baby. Sweet little cuddly boy. He is very submissive and runs away from the 2 Wyandotte cockerels in his flock. I worry about him with the 2 big boys BUT his flock also has pullets. I read that when you add a male and he comes with his own females it may be ok. I want to try because he's my little Delaware boy that was supposed to be a sexed pullet. Turns out I love the boy!! Haha

 

[KayisforKale]

So I raised 2 brown leghorn brothers together. Just the 2 of them. They have always been joined at the wing. Inseparable. They are good boys truly. I've held them constantly as chicks, loved them nonstop. By 10 weeks old I put them in with my older hens and stopped spending so much time with them so they could be big boys and function as a flock. All was going well, no problems and I was so happy. Just recently the alpha has been running the beta cockerel away. I didn't know why. I've spent some time locking the beta in the run by himself and only allowing the alpha and flock into the coop. They basically free range with coop access but no run access. I tried letting the beta out several times and the result is the same. Alpha chases beta away. I have been observing them all closely and have found a few things.

Beta mates with hens- alpha doesn't care that he does this. He runs over and watches but does not peck, harm or otherwise stop the beta mating hens.

Alpha cornered beta cockerel in the coop and I feared the worst but again, alpha was on his back but no blood or harm.

Alpha takes his job seriously and when he hears a hen upset he runs to see what is going on.

Neither cockerel is aggressive. Neither is aggressive to me and not to each other. Beta is a good beta cockerel. He is submissive and doesn't fight. He only runs away from his brother.

I have found the problem. Beta cockerel was locked up in the run and the second I opened the door he was mating the first hen near him. Then off to the next hen and was mating as many hens as he could get until his brother heard the fuss and chases him off. So it seems beta cockerel has raging hormones and can't seem to control it. Alpha hears the fuss he's causing the hens and he's trying to keep the peace in the flock and chase off his brother. I understand that beta can't help it. This is normal..

I am so sad but trying to find beta a home. He is not a bad boy but I don't have space to give him his own flock. I did get more pullets because I knew 2 boys would need more hens. Unfortunately my luck is bad. I bought 10 chicks, 4 turned into cockerels. Some of my sexed pullets turned into males. I am down to only 5 pullets to add to the flock. They are only 8 weeks old and too young to help in this situation.

Providing I can't find a home for my beta will this work out long term to keep him with the flock after his hormones settle? How long is it normally until the hormones calm down a bit? I can't eat this bird. I love the bird. I am going to eat my other cockerels but not my beta.

This is rough keeping him by himself in the run and I am out supervising when I let him back with the flock. I don't want him to get hurt or chased out of the yard again. It took hours to catch him last time when his brother chased him so bad he flew away.

Is there any light at the end of this tunnel? I think my alpha is on track to become an excellent rooster with age. He is a true peace keeper and non aggressive. I would love for his brother to stay in this flock if he can settle the hormones. Finding a home is no easy task.

I have two roosters with seven hens. I had the same problems, with the same concerns. Mine did grow out of it. Your cockerels are still young, with raging hormones. I do not like getting this advice, and I despise giving it, but let them work it out on their own. Step in when necessary, but let the big guy put his brother in his place. Mine are thriving. They will be two years old in April, and there is a sense of peace within my flock. The boys still tangle every once in a while, one of them usually ends up bleeding, but they are fine and they seem to forget their fight pretty quick. And because I did not listen to others about butchering my EE roo, I now have two wonderful protectors for my flock that like to gang up against any and all threats. My EE roo became a momma's boy, until my Sapphire Gem roo lost his spur last Friday. I was trying to spray the wound and the EE swiftly tried to take me down because I was cornering his big 'brother'. So yes, it is doable to have two roosters that were raised together live in relative harmony within a small flock. It takes work, patience, and no small amount of pulling out your hair trying to figure out how to quell the fighting once their spurs grow in. But it is doable.

I apologize if I rambled or got side-tracked. I am currently enjoying watching my EE try to clean off the coop ramp.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

I have two roosters with seven hens. I had the same problems, with the same concerns. Mine did grow out of it. Your cockerels are still young, with raging hormones. I do not like getting this advice, and I despise giving it, but let them work it out on their own. Step in when necessary, but let the big guy put his brother in his place. Mine are thriving. They will be two years old in April, and there is a sense of peace within my flock. The boys still tangle every once in a while, one of them usually ends up bleeding, but they are fine and they seem to forget their fight pretty quick. And because I did not listen to others about butchering my EE roo, I now have two wonderful protectors for my flock that like to gang up against any and all threats. My EE roo became a momma's boy, until my Sapphire Gem roo lost his spur last Friday. I was trying to spray the wound and the EE swiftly tried to take me down because I was cornering his big 'brother'. So yes, it is doable to have two roosters that were raised together live in relative harmony within a small flock. It takes work, patience, and no small amount of pulling out your hair trying to figure out how to quell the fighting once their spurs grow in. But it is doable.

I apologize if I rambled or got side-tracked. I am currently enjoying watching my EE try to clean off the coop ramp.

Unfortunately when I merged in my younger flock it caused a lot of issues. I have 3 boys in the younger flock which gave me a total of 5 boys. I had to freezer camp my beta rooster(he was starting to give me trouble actually) and I have 2 more boys I need to butcher probably tomorrow. My alpha is going after the 2 alpha-beta boys in the younger flock. I've been having to separate them daily now. I'm going to try and keep my big alpha and my most meek boy from the younger flock. My last in pecking order boy doesn't crow and keeps a distance from my alpha rooster. I'm hoping these 2 boys can live in peace. This is the part I hate about managing a flock. I would keep all the boys if I could but I can't make boys get along that won't get along.

 

[Mrs. K]

It is just a fact of roosters. Roosters are a crap shoot, sometimes they work, and a lot of the times they don't. Sometimes they work for a while, and sometimes it becomes a nightmare in an instant.

Always solve for peace in the flock. Know that the more roosters you keep, the greater the odds of some of them not working out.

I will mention that I had two boys, that I added in the summer, they often roosted by each other, seemed to get along just fine, but a neighbor needed a rooster, and I really only wanted one. Thing is, when I let that rooster go, the whole flock relaxed. They seemed calmer, they became quite devoted to the one I kept.

Mrs K

 

[Tonyroo]

Having 2 or more roosters will stress out the hens. Your better off keeping your favorite and butchering the rest.

I have my main rooster and 5 cockerels that will deal with next spring. But I'm working on a project so 2 cockerels will stay.

If you have a reason for keeping some you need to make exceptions to there living conditions. So it doesn't get out of hand with there antics.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

Having 2 or more roosters will stress out the hens. Your better off keeping your favorite and butchering the rest.

I have my main rooster and 5 cockerels that will deal with next spring. But I'm working on a project so 2 cockerels will stay.

If you have a reason for keeping some you need to make exceptions to there living conditions. So it doesn't get out of hand with there antics.

Lol I love your username. My big boy.. his name is Tony. I'm definitely keeping my Tony rooster. He's mostly a gentleman but he has had enough of the young boys trying to mate his hens. My last boy on the totem pole doesn't mess with hens or crow. Tony is a good flock leader and he's good with me. Genuinely looking to be a great flock leader. I want my youngest boy for breeding purposes. I may section him off with a few hens of his own. I so hope in the meantime they will get along and not fight. There are enough hens for Tony. His flock has 9 hens. My little guy, Captain, has 5 pullets from his own flock. Once I process the other 2 cockerels it will just be Captain and Tony. I'm hoping that will settle things down. This is the part of managing a flock I don't like. Processing extra cockerels.