Anyone Keep Multiple Roosters Successfully?

[adstowe]

I've had a polish bantam cockerel grow up to take the alpha role away from the mature, established Easter egger rooster. Nothing is ever predictable with chickens. The main point is the current male is aggressive and needs to go. Whether or not they can get along really isn't even relevant.

 

[Aunt Angus]

This ALL helps. I will make a big effort to rehome him.

 

[Yardmom]

I currently have 7 roosters Between two coops. Due to aging and a fox I have recently done some rooster moving. Moving a cockeral in as a chick is far easier than moving a cockeral in that is ready to breed. The chicks are integrated same as the pullets. The difference is not seen until they hit breeding age. Rooster personality is a key factor to how things will go. One that did not work was a cockeral who realized he was stronger than the older roos in the flock. He would chase and attack the older roos. He was in the process to fighting to the death when I permanently removed him from the flock. All other have gone well. In a good integration there will still be fights, but the winning rooster or cockeral will back off when the other admits defeat by turning away from the fight. When the order is established some will work as a pair with a group of hens. Others will each have there own little flock and a few will just stay clear of the dominant bird. I have had one who learned as a cockeral who the dominant roo was and would actually fight to protect that flock master (who was later weaker due to age) from new cockerals. My current top standard roo was raised in the Silkie coop and integrated himself to the main coop after a fox took 2 of the strongest roos. He was of breeding age as were 2 other roos already in that coop. As long as the dominant roo allows the others to be submissive multiple roosters can live peacefully in a flock.

 

[adstowe]

I'd just put an ad for a free rooster in the farm section of Craig's list. Disclose his level of aggression (You don't want someone to take him home and let their 3 year old try and play with him.) and ask no questions about their intentions for him. If it's dinner then it's dinner. If you know nothing then you can assume he's living out his days on a farm.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I may have found a taker for my rooster. I'm happy and sad.

*sigh*

I don't want him to die (he's just doing his job for his girls), but I know it's for the best.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

"If you don't have a plan for unwanted roosters, you probably shouldn't have chickens - because mistakes are made even with sexed pullets."

Perhaps unfair, but largely true. Respect for recognizing a problem and stepping up to it. Obviously not an easy thing for you.

 

[JedJackson]

I may have found a taker for my rooster. I'm happy and sad.

*sigh*

I don't want him to die (he's just doing his job for his girls), but I know it's for the best.

It's really the only answer, in my opinion. You shouldn't have to live with an aggressive rooster.

 

[Aunt Angus]

NEW PLAN

I can keep 2 separate flocks. I am building a new coop soon. If the boys don't get along well, I will keep the new cockerel (Cayenne) with his brooder mate (Saffron) and the 6 new chicks I'm expecting in May. Picotee can move into the new coop with the 11 hens he has now, plus the ducks.

We wanted to reclaim that part of the property for a very small orchard, but we can probably arrange it so the second flock can forage in the orchard or give them a somewhat smaller run.

 

[FathertoFeathers]

I have 5 roosters all living together. I’ve never had a problem with them fighting. Three are bantams and usually roam wherever they please but when they do hangout with the big boys nothing happens. All the boys have girls they’ve established as theirs and the other roosters respect that. But it really depends on your roosters. While I’ve never had problems it doesn’t mean you won’t. There could be a tussle at first but that’s to be expected.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

NEW PLAN

I can keep 2 separate flocks. I am building a new coop soon. If the boys don't get along well, I will keep the new cockerel (Cayenne) with his brooder mate (Saffron) and the 6 new chicks I'm expecting in May. Picotee can move into the new coop with the 11 hens he has now, plus the ducks.

We wanted to reclaim that part of the property for a very small orchard, but we can probably arrange it so the second flock can forage in the orchard or give them a somewhat smaller run.

This is what we've done when our roosters clash: expand chickenspace. I always say space is how I make up for inexperience when it comes to chickens.

There are lots of predators here, so expanding means building or buying legit coops and increasing the chickens' range with 6' welded wire and bear-strength electric. It's pricey and time-consuming, so we only add new birds after plenty of thought and planning, but it's a wonderful thing to watch different rooster-led flocks wandering around.