At what age to separate cockerel and rooster?

Chicken101-07

Songster
Aug 18, 2019
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195
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I have a rooster of unknown age and a cockerel(rooster's son hatched out in my coop and I decided to keep him,will make him a small coop and get some hens for him in future) who is 11 months old, for now he has to share coop with the rooster,I separate them during the day,the hens and rooster get the run while the cockerel and his sister have the coop for themselves,(I kept the sister so the cockerel wouldn't be lonely during the day I'll get rid of her once i get hens for him),in the evening I let them free range for an hour and everybody goes in and all of them stay in the coop for the night,they have their own spot on the roosts where they stay at,the cockerel and the rooster have never had a problem with each other for the 9 months they've been together until today,I think the cockerel has finally gotten tired of getting chased by the rooster,he puffed out all his neck feathers and looked like he was about to attack the rooster,I stopped it by putting a hen beside the cockerel which seemed like it calmed him down,he didn't try again,is he finally thinking of standing up to him or was it just another rooster teenager reaction?will I be able to keep them for a few more months together?I really wouldn't like to see the results if they were to attack each other before I came in to the coop in the morning to put them in their places for the day,the cockerel is already taller and heavier than the rooster(reason I decided to keep cockerel) but the rooster has some big and sharp spurs while cockerel spurs are still growing.sorry for the long but I appreciate the answers.:D
 
There's no one correct answer here, except that 'it depends'. In my flock, everyone has to get along, which includes up to three adult cock birds and three cockerels, Two for each of my three breeding groups. Some sparring happens, but no real injuries, and everyone finds a place so there's not constant conflict. Here' it's about raising them together, and watching for issues, and removing difficult individuals.
Your birds might spar and then settle their differences, or kill each other instead.
Having either separate digs entirely, or a big enough place with out-of-sight areas for different groups, so they aren't in view all the time, will maybe help.
Do you need both birds? If you like one better, because he's a better fit in your flock, rehome the other bird. Constant conflict affects everyone, and your hens will appreciate peace too.
Mary
 
There's no one correct answer here, except that 'it depends'. In my flock, everyone has to get along, which includes up to three adult cock birds and three cockerels, Two for each of my three breeding groups. Some sparring happens, but no real injuries, and everyone finds a place so there's not constant conflict. Here' it's about raising them together, and watching for issues, and removing difficult individuals.
Your birds might spar and then settle their differences, or kill each other instead.
Having either separate digs entirely, or a big enough place with out-of-sight areas for different groups, so they aren't in view all the time, will maybe help.
Do you need both birds? If you like one better, because he's a better fit in your flock, rehome the other bird. Constant conflict affects everyone, and your hens will appreciate peace too.
Mary
I have never had probs with roos fighting. I think they should get along, but if they don’t, it will be good to
1. cull or sell one
2. Get more Hens
3. Separate them
 

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