a coop full of roosters: how to maintain order?

[jgervais]

I'm really satisfied with the Dorkings we raised this fall, but it didnt go exactly how i had it planned in my head. I thought I would raise 18 birds and process all 18 at once. It was about 50/50 roos and hens. Some of the roos seemed to really terrorize the hens, and so at 4 months old we processed 2-3 of them. And then when another of the roos copped an attitude, we would process them and either freezer them or have dinner. Very few actually made it to 6 months old and a good size.

I want to raise several more in spring, but im worried if I get a coop full of roosters (which really is ideal since they are bigger faster) how do I handle the attitude? Just let them fight it out and establish pecking order?

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

I have read that if you separate the boys aka "bachelor pad" then there is little fighting. Makes sense if they don't have any girls to fight over. Maybe try removing the hens and let us know if that works better for you.

Good luck!

Trish

 

[MyHappyChicks]

Put the boys in there own pin without any hens and they will mellow out in a few days. Just don't let them out with the girls again or you will have big problems. I have 4 guys that have there own pad all to there own. They don't like it but I really don't care. Solved the gang rape that they would do to the hens.

 

[mama24]

I have 9 cockerels in their own pen for the reasons above. They HAD been fighting like crazy before I moved them, but after the first few days, they really settled down. They still have the stare downs with hackles raised, but no real fighting till they're bloody type fights like the did before.