Anyone Keep Multiple Roosters Successfully?

[Silexian]

I keep multiple roosters. For the most part they coexist peacefully. That can change in an instant though. I have had roosters get along in the same coop for months. Then one day for no apparent reason. They have each other beat bloody. Sometimes they go back to getting along. Other times they have to be permanently separated. If you are easily upset by them fighting and possibly hurting each other. Do not have the facilities to separate them or the heart to possibly have to get rid of one. Then you will probably be better off just keeping one rooster.

 

[Aunt Angus]

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.

I understand what you mean. We live in the woods (foxes, coyote, bobcat, skunks, raccoon, opossum, snakes, hawks, owls, eagles, bear, mountain lion). And this is going to sound way cooler than it is in reality, but money isn't that much of an issue ( - if only that were true in the larger sense!). I could keep my current coop for a new flock and move my existing flock to where we were planning to move them: reuse the goat house and get new non-electric fencing. I say non-electric because the area we are moving them to would be inside the goat fence, which is electric. The 4 smallish goats have a little more than 1 acre. They can give up some of that, no prob.

I mentioned this in an earlier post, but we were hoping to use the area where the chickens are currently to plant a small orchard. But I might be able to do both. The new flock will likely consist of the new cockerel with 7 pullets. My current flock is my rooster, 8 hens, and 3 8-month old pullets. The 5 ducks live with that flock, too, so they need much more space.

Biggest problem? Hubby isn't happy. But I know how to handle him. We just celebrated 25 years. And I'm the primary breadwinner, so....

 

[BellasBunch]

I have read lots of bad situations with multiple roosters. I just want to be as close to 100% sure as possible before I decide what to do.

I have an established flock of 8 hens, 3 laying pullets, and 1 rooster, mixed ages (8 months - 3.5 years).

I have two 2-week old chicks (a pullet and a cockerel) in the brooder.

I am expecting an order of 6 female chicks in early May. The final ratio would be 2 males:18 females.

I will have a 10x10 coop ready before the current 2 in the brooder are ready to go outside. I will also have a 1600+ sq ft yard for them. Free ranging is not possible here due to huuuuge predator load.

I would *like* to keep both males, but I know that invites a whole host of potential problems. And I want to do right by all the birds involved.

1) In your folks' experience, is that a big enough area to help alleviate issues?

2) is it even possible for 2 unrelated boys to cohabitate?

3) Would having separate coops help? I am not keen on building another, but I can, or I can try dividing the 10x10.

4) Or should I just rehome one of the males? (Full disclosure: I don't eat my chickens) I realize whoever gets one will probably turn him into soup.

Any advice/input would be hugely appreciated.

I hope this will help. I had 2 existing bantam roosters with my flock of 8 assorted full sized girls. Then I bought 9 sexed chicks which were not that accurate. I got 2 more roosters, but BIG ones! Time came when I had to make decisions as the girls were ready to graduate and join the older existing flock. I had kept the coops together for 3 weeks prior to get them used to each other.
I let them all out together on graduation day. Mind you the "boys" were about 14-16 weeks old so not established fully in their manhood.
The Bantum roosters tried to establish their dominance but the new roos jumped back at them. Not in full out war but I think more self defense because they weren't men yet. All was well. Until...
These teenage roos discovered mating was life. One of them is so eager and aggressive that he ripped open the back of one of my hens necks when mounting/ mating.
That was it for me!
I took the 2 boys and but them in a separate coop. They coexist nicely and have free range time everyday. The 2 coops share the free range lot so I have to put the boys away and then let out the girls. The 2 bantam still remain with the girls.
It works out! They all get to visit each other through the fencing, I didn't have to get rid of anyone, and it is peaceful.
Note, I talked to Perdue Veterinary College and the vet said that new roosters are like teenage boys but should calm down in a year or so. The ratio of girls to boys is what I see to be your main issue. Two full sized Roos need a flock of around 14-16 hens each. Otherwise they will get overrated and could die. My ratio wasn't a good thing either and I didn't know. This is a journey and there is always something to learn!
I hope you find success!
I love it when the coop is a happy place!

 

[KGandE]

I wrote out a long reply to this and it doesn’t seem to have posted. What I wanted to say, in short, is that we’ve made it work that with multiple roosters, but with multiple drakes in our mixed flock of hens and ducks. For us, the key was giving them their own small spaces in the evening. We manage this because we had a small to large group and a run. I’m sure you could do it other ways, but they all intermingle during the day and the only problems seem to come rarely and add breathing time, with no serious injuries yet, after a few years. All we’ve seen are some minor scuffles at last minute or so. Good luck! I hope you can make it work.

 

[SilverBirds]

I have 4 roosters to 18 hens. They've never broken out into a real battle before. Just little squabbles. My lower roosters no their place and don't mess with my head rooster. My hens also keep all the roosters in check and none of my hens have ripped out feathers or anything. I think it just depends on your induvial birds though. It probably helps for me that they were all raised together and are around the same age.

 

[Vicker]

The first chickens I ever had were Black Sumatras. I don't recall how many I had, but I know I had multiple roosters. The roosters didn't fight, didn't over mate the hens and didn't crow incessantly. All the other breeds I've kept have put me off of having even one rooster. No matter how many hens I have, a single rooster picks his favorites and constantly chases them and mounts them. I made saddles to protect their bare little backs but it was just too crazy. If I ever find myself with another unintended rooster that doesn't crow all day, I'll keep it in a separate pen for sure.

 

[Flock4fun]

I have gone through many roosters over the 2 years of keeping chickens. They are free range so I like that my roosters are protecting the hens. They keep them safe and I have even watched a rooster chase a hawk away and save his lady! Sometimes when there are two roosters they becomes side kicks. Its really devastaing for them when they get separated. Ive had that happen when there are toomany roosters to hens, but I have also seen the younger rooster become buddies with the older rooster then they go around the yard together, protecting the hens. Ive had some cock fight, but nothing violent and ive never had anyone draw blood on eachother. More than 2 divides the flock, but I have also seen one rooster take some hens and the other rooster take some other hens. They seem to divvy it up how it works for them. It seems like 5 hens is about the max a hen or a rooster wants in a group, but being confined in a small space may change the dynamics. I like the roosters, but also they are not my friendly pets, they are protectors. My hens on the other hand let me pet them and some will even let me hold them and seem to like it. I think you should see what happens. You might be surprised!

 

[Chelse]

I have three roosters at the moment and only three females and they get along just fine. Once and a while dad will chase one of them but that is not too often. They are Americans so they are more docile roosters.

 

[kcclark66204]

I have read lots of bad situations with multiple roosters. I just want to be as close to 100% sure as possible before I decide what to do.

I have an established flock of 8 hens, 3 laying pullets, and 1 rooster, mixed ages (8 months - 3.5 years).

I have two 2-week old chicks (a pullet and a cockerel) in the brooder.

I am expecting an order of 6 female chicks in early May. The final ratio would be 2 males:18 females.

I will have a 10x10 coop ready before the current 2 in the brooder are ready to go outside. I will also have a 1600+ sq ft yard for them. Free ranging is not possible here due to huuuuge predator load.

I would *like* to keep both males, but I know that invites a whole host of potential problems. And I want to do right by all the birds involved.

1) In your folks' experience, is that a big enough area to help alleviate issues?

2) is it even possible for 2 unrelated boys to cohabitate?

3) Would having separate coops help? I am not keen on building another, but I can, or I can try dividing the 10x10.

4) Or should I just rehome one of the males? (Full disclosure: I don't eat my chickens) I realize whoever gets one will probably turn him into soup.

Any advice/input would be hugely appreciated.

Can't answer until I know what breed you have. They are all different.

 

[kcclark66204]

I have read lots of bad situations with multiple roosters. I just want to be as close to 100% sure as possible before I decide what to do.

I have an established flock of 8 hens, 3 laying pullets, and 1 rooster, mixed ages (8 months - 3.5 years).

I have two 2-week old chicks (a pullet and a cockerel) in the brooder.

I am expecting an order of 6 female chicks in early May. The final ratio would be 2 males:18 females.

I will have a 10x10 coop ready before the current 2 in the brooder are ready to go outside. I will also have a 1600+ sq ft yard for them. Free ranging is not possible here due to huuuuge predator load.

I would *like* to keep both males, but I know that invites a whole host of potential problems. And I want to do right by all the birds involved.

1) In your folks' experience, is that a big enough area to help alleviate issues?

2) is it even possible for 2 unrelated boys to cohabitate?

3) Would having separate coops help? I am not keen on building another, but I can, or I can try dividing the 10x10.

4) Or should I just rehome one of the males? (Full disclosure: I don't eat my chickens) I realize whoever gets one will probably turn him into soup.

Any advice/input would be hugely appreciated.

Need to know what breed you have.