Agressive new rooster

[Tiffy316]

I adopted a lovely new rooster in need of a home from the humane society yesterday. He seems to be fitting in well and is friendly around me. The only problem is that he keeps attacking my dominant roister to the point that he tries to run out of the barn whenever he gets the chance.

I'm not sure what to do. The new rooster keeps attacking my light brahma rooster and pulling out a beak full of feathers whenever he gets close. He doesn't seem to be interested in bothering any of my other roosters.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Of course he's going for the dominant guy. That's because he's a dominant guy too.

Roosters WILL fight. If it doesn't settle down in a few days, or threatens serious wounds, you'll have to decide if you want to keep the new rooster. Some roosters aren't content if they arent constantly challenging the opposition, so he may start going after the junior roosters too.

What is happening is a normal, natural risk every time you add another bird, especially a new mature rooster to an established flock.

LofMc

 

[aart]

He doesn't seem to be interested in bothering any of my other roosters.

How many males do you have....in how big of a space?

 

[Tiffy316]

How many males do you have....in how big of a space?

It's a barn roughly 20x20 or 30x30. I have at least 5 roosters. They seem to get along just fine with the new guy. It's just my light brahma who's getting picked on.

 

[Tiffy316]

Of course he's going for the dominant guy. That's because he's a dominant guy too.

Roosters WILL fight. If it doesn't settle down in a few days, or threatens serious wounds, you'll have to decide if you want to keep the new rooster. Some roosters aren't content if they arent constantly challenging the opposition, so he may start going after the junior roosters too.

What is happening is a normal, natural risk every time you add another bird, especially a new mature rooster to an established flock.

LofMc

I'll give it some time, but my brahma rooster keeps running outside to get away from him. I had to catch him 5 times yesterday.

 

[McChooky]

It's a barn roughly 20x20 or 30x30. I have at least 5 roosters. They seem to get along just fine with the new guy. It's just my light brahma who's getting picked on.

I'm curious if this a bachelor pad set up for roosters as you didn't mention having any hens.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

That is a good question. How many roosters do you have with how many hens? Or is this 5 rooster thing a bachelor pad?

There are those on this forum who have wonderful success with a number of roosters in the flock. Others, not so much. Too many roosters are hard on the hens as well.

I personally have to keep my current roosters separated into two separate flocks, for more than just my egg color genetics (a brown Barnevelder line with 6 hens and a blue Cream Legbar line with 9 hens) otherwise they'd drive me nuts with the constant wrestling...though both roosters are sweethearts and let me pick them up with no people aggression or dog or hen aggression whatsoever.

However, put the two together, and honestly, they are like two boys in the back seat of a long car ride constantly poking each other. They still occasionally pick at each other through the fence.

So this may be a roo too many....or simply the wrong roo for your current situation.

LofMc

 

[Mrs. K]

That is why they call it cock fighting. Roosters often times naturally fight. It will get better, or it will get worse. If it gets worse, you will have to decide who goes.

Mrs K

 

[Tiffy316]

I have roughly 26 chickens, 5 or 6 of which are roosters.

 

[Tiffy316]

There's also a new behavior. After putting him in a segregation cage temporarily, I noticed the new rooster attempting to jump up and peck the chickens sleeping on top of it. I've never seen that behavior in roosters before, and I'm wondering if maybe he went through something that made him unusually mean.