Added a new Rooster and he beat up my older Rooster.

[70monte]

A guy from work gave me an 8 month old Barred Rock Rooster that he was going to kill and eat if I didn't want it. So I felt sorry for it and took it. I put him in the coop but he didn't stay there very long like my other new chickens have done. My existing RIR Rooster is three years old and a little smaller than the new rooster. Of course it didn't take long for the roosters to discover each other and the fight was on. I let it go on for a couple of minutes but then pulled the BR rooster off of the RIR one because my RIR was getting the worst end of it. He was bloody and the other rooster was untouched.

They ended up fighting another time but the RIR rooster was getting the worst of it and he finally ran away. Just by the noises he was making, you could tell he was upset. I feel bad because he has been the only Rooster here since I got chickens 2 1/2 years ago. Right now he is staying away from the new rooster but he looks defeated. I don't know if I should get rid of the new rooster or see if they can co-exsist with each other.

The BR rooster was living with four other roosters so he is used to being around other roosters but mine has not lived with another rooster since he left the previous owner's house.

How have you guys brought another rooster into the picture and has it worked?

Wayne

 

[bobbi-j]

How many hens do you have? That's something to consider. You don't want too many roosters and stress them out. Whenever you add a new bird, there will be fighting for pecking order. You can either let them duke it out and settle it themselves, or get rid of the new one and restore peace to your flock. Personally, I'd give the BR back to the person you got it from and tell them to enjoy their dinner!

 

[N. Virginia]

X2

 

[70monte]

I have 13 hens. I may have to give the new rooster away but as of now, there has not been any more fighting. I don't think 13 hens is too few for two roosters. I have enough fenced in area that the roosters don't have to be close to each other and it seems that the RIR rooster is staying away from the other one and the BR one is not trying to chase the RIR one so maybe they have gotten the pecking order in place already.

The BR is a good looking bird and is probably healthier than my RIR rooster who has always had a breathing problem ever since I bought him and seems to sneeze all of the time. He has always acted normal otherwise and none of the other hens has gotten what he has.

My RIR rooster also went through a spell earlier this year when I only had four hens by beating up one of my hens. It wasn't until I got more chickens that this stopped.

The new rooster was sitting on the back porch when I got home tonight so he did not know to go into the coop or didn't want to. I picked him up and put him on the lower roost so we shall see where he ends up in the morning when I let them out.

I'm going to see how they do for the next couple of days. If it doesn't work out, I may ask the neighbor down the road if they want the rooster because their last rooster disappeared and now they only have hens.

Wayne

 

[sourland]

Whenever an adult rooster is added to an established flock with a rooster there will be fighting. Sorry, but it's just a logical common sense part of poultry husbandry. For anything else to have happened would have been unlikely.

 

[70monte]

I knew they would probably fight but was wondering if that settles down at some point. The last time I brought in a rooster to an existing flock was in high school and I don't remember how it went. It may not work out but I will wait a few days and see what happens. Thanks for all of the input.

Wayne

 

[NovaAman]

Its like lions... You take an old lion, add a young lion, the young takes over the pride... Same with roos. The new is the boss now, and your old roo will be lucky if he has any harem left. Poor guy. Maybe you could do 2 pens?

 

[darin367]

the wimpy little guy has been put in his place and has a breathing problem anyway.... they'll be fine... the rir will stear clear of the boss and he'll mate when the boss aint looking..... it's the way things are.....

 

[70monte]

To be honest, I thought my old rooster would still be boss and thought they were about the same size but when they were close to each other, I realized the new one was slightly bigger. I'm off work tomorrow and the next day so I can watch how they interact with each other.

Wayne

 

[70monte]

Well, they seem to be tolerating each other. They basically stay away from each other. They are even roosting in the same coop with no problems that I can see. Maybe I got lucky.

Wayne