Anyone Keep Multiple Roosters Successfully?

[Aunt Angus]

Update on earlier post 65: ( Last year I had decided to keep my sole cockerel chick and he joined the flock of 12, which included his father. Junior learned from senior and they seemed to get along.) Last month, the elder rooster was killed by a raccoon. Junior, at slightly over 1 yr. took over seamlessly. He is a very good rooster in every way. The hens completely accept him as leader, even tho they are all older. I’m really glad I kept him.
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I sorry for your loss, but that's a great ending.

 

[Aunt Angus]

How much scuffling between roosters us normal when working these things out? I haven't seen much, but I want to know if I should gave a zero tolerance type policy or if some disagreement is ok. They are only out tigether when free ranging (supervised), but they are separated most of the time.

 

[Ridgerunner]

How much scuffling between roosters us normal when working these things out?

Sometimes they can fight to the death, the loser just doesn't know to quit or the winner has no mercy. Sometimes I don't really notice much of anything. Usually it is skirmishes where they fight viciously until one decides he needs to run away. Sometime this doesn't take long, sometimes the fights can drag out. With yours free ranging there is a fair chance they will work things out but that may mean one is permanently separated from the flock.

They are trying to hurt each other when they fight. If one becomes injured the other can go into blood lust mode. They have them beat and are not going to give them a chance to recover. Sometimes there can be a lot of blood (head wounds especially can bleed a lot) and they still stop fighting.

I don't consider anything "normal", there can be several different outcomes.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Sometimes they can fight to the death, the loser just doesn't know to quit or the winner has no mercy. Sometimes I don't really notice much of anything. Usually it is skirmishes where they fight viciously until one decides he needs to run away. Sometime this doesn't take long, sometimes the fights can drag out. With yours free ranging there is a fair chance they will work things out but that may mean one is permanently separated from the flock.

They are trying to hurt each other when they fight. If one becomes injured the other can go into blood lust mode. They have them beat and are not going to give them a chance to recover. Sometimes there can be a lot of blood (head wounds especially can bleed a lot) and they still stop fighting.

I don't consider anything "normal", there can be several different outcomes.

Thanks for this explanation. Very helpful.

I've decided to rehome the cockerel. Some day, I'd really like to have a good rooster. Sigh.... I'm just not good at this.

 

[MROO]

Update on earlier post 65: ( Last year I had decided to keep my sole cockerel chick and he joined the flock of 12, which included his father. Junior learned from senior and they seemed to get along.) Last month, the elder rooster was killed by a raccoon. Junior, at slightly over 1 yr. took over seamlessly. He is a very good rooster in every way. The hens completely accept him as leader, even tho they are all older. I’m really glad I kept him.
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The BEST way to raise a second rooster is to let the flock do it for you! Cockerels raised with same-age pullets mature faster than the ladies and tend to bully the ladies, who haven't learned that it's okay to say "No." Between an older rooster showing him what needs doing and older hens teaching him proper courtship manners, it's hard to beat a flock-raised fella!

 

[Aunt Angus]

The BEST way to raise a second rooster is to let the flock do it for you! Cockerels raised with same-age pullets mature faster than the ladies and tend to bully the ladies, who haven't learned that it's okay to say "No." Between an older rooster showing him what needs doing and older hens teaching him proper courtship manners, it's hard to beat a flock-raised fella!

It's not working so well here. I think I must've done something wrong.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I've had a couple of people inquire about him after posting on FB in a pet rehoming group and a poultry group. Both people seemed sketchy and wouldn't answer my questions. I looked over their profiles and researched them online. One guy seemed like he might have been into cockfighting (it's rampant here and I know some of the signs). The other guy lived in a suburban area that was not zoned for roosters.

I realized I was *looking* for reasons not to rehome him. I'm hopeless.

Sooooo..... I'm going to buy for very cheap an unused kennel our neighbors have had for years since their dog passed. I'm going to set it up somewhere not too inconvenient to access, doctor it up with hardware cloth, put some sort of shelter in there, and keep Cayenne and a couple of other fellas in there to form an all-rooster flock of 3.

 

[MROO]

It's not working so well here. I think I must've done something wrong.

Don't be too quick to take blame, here. It doesn't sound like you did anything "wrong." Chickens are like every other creature in the world - they all have their own personalities and idiosyncrasies. Some get along, some don't. And sometimes, as long as they don't kill or permanently maim each other, you just need to let them figure it out themselves.

Another thought - if The Boys are cooped separately, try making sure each one has hens with him - the same ones each time they're confined. They should bond and become separate sub-flocks, which should help with the competition issues.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Don't be too quick to take blame, here. It doesn't sound like you did anything "wrong." Chickens are like every other creature in the world - they all have their own personalities and idiosyncrasies. Some get along, some don't. And sometimes, as long as they don't kill or permanently maim each other, you just need to let them figure it out themselves.

Another thought - if The Boys are cooped separately, try making sure each one has hens with him - the same ones each time they're confined. They should bond and become separate sub-flocks, which should help with the competition issues.

I've just decided to do an all-rooster flock. It will solve most of my problems and keep my poor, beleaguered conscience appeased. My hens will appreciate being rooster-free, I think.

 

[Aunt Angus]

EVEN BETTER! A gal just contacted me on FB. She wants to adopt Cayenne! She has a flock of hens who free range on her property here in the county. She is a veterinarian, so he would be a pet. She has experience with roosters, too, so hopefully she'll know how to deal with his raging hormones.

I am SO RELIEVED!!!