can 2 banty roosters cause harm?

[Katejc]

I have a silkie rooster who literally almost died from wry neck 2 months ago. I also have a banty black wyandotte rooster. The silkie is a bit of a force and the wyandotte (chunky) is the biggest scaredy cat rooster you ever saw. Twice now I have caught the silkie pinning Chunky in the corner of the coop and had to go out and rescue him. He had no damage except a beak full of dirt and a small nick on his comb. The first time I picked up the silkie and let chunky recover, this time I had to pick up chunky because even though the silkie had run off he was just laying there. He was okay after a bit and it was sunset so I returned him to his roost.
My solution is, to add some perches and roosts to my outdoor space because we have none right now and the silkie cannot fly/jump at all. Would this improve chunkys life? I dont want him to live in fear (though he is afraid of everything) and he may be happier being rehomed? The silkie had wry neck for a month so I dont expect him to live a long life but it could be years...

 

[igorsMistress]

Separate them or they could kill each other. The silkie is dominant and making it known.

 

[Katejc]

Separate them or they could kill each other. The silkie is dominant and making it known.

I just read a little bit about how the dominant rooster may mount the other rooster and thats definitely be what is happening here. You don’t think giving Chunky some space to get up off the ground could help? The silkie rooster cannot leave the ground, can’t jump or fly so he is easy to get away from if we provide something.

 

[neo71665]

2 roosters together is asking for one to kill the other

 

[Katejc]

2 roosters together is asking for one to kill the other

I feel like pictures may help with perspective here. We are talking about a teeny tiny feeble silkie and a terrified-of-life bantam. I definitely know that its not recommended and had to get rid of a previous rooster for aggression so I know the deal. I just feel like there may be room with my situation since one cant fly and one is a good flyer and little Chunky has no interest in challenging my silkie roo.

 

[igorsMistress]

I just read a little bit about how the dominant rooster may mount the other rooster and thats definitely be what is happening here. You don’t think giving Chunky some space to get up off the ground could help? The silkie rooster cannot leave the ground, can’t jump or fly so he is easy to get away from if we provide something.

It's possible but really, not likely to end well. You definitely will have to separate them eventually or risk the death of one or both. They'll each need their own girls.

 

[Katejc]

It's possible but really, not likely to end well. You definitely will have to separate them eventually or risk the death of one or both. They'll each need their own girls.

Okay fair enough. My husband witnessed another attack today and it looks like Chunky (who is as stupid as he is terrified) is just sticking his head into the corner of the coop as a way of hiding from the silkie (“if I cant see anything, he can’t see me”) and then the silkie jumps on his back and doesn't really know what his next move is. I’m more worried that Chunky is going to have a heart attack at this point. We are going to try and put in some ledges and perches tomorrow and see how that goes.

 

[Katejc]

Pics of the culprits

 

[NatJ]

Perches: good idea.
Separate pen: better idea.

It's not true that two roosters in one pen will always lead to one killing the other, but it is clear that your two roosters are not getting along, and probably will never get along. (If you gave them a several-acre pen, they might "get along" by living in different parts of it and never interacting, but that's not at all the situation you have.)

Just putting up perches will give Chunky a place to get away from the Silkie, but then he might sit up there and safely starve, because the Silkie will probably chase him anytime he comes down for food and water.

 

[Ruthster55]

Keep Chunky as your flock Rooster and either pen the Silkie in a bachelor coop or rehome it.

They are fertilizing your Hens' eggs and you want to pass on the "nice Rooster" traits, not the "mean Rooster" traits.

Chunky is a cute bird!