Can 3 roosters live together?

[veronica2368]

Hi, I am wondering, can 3 roosters who have grown up together, live together in a pen, if I take out the young hens they have been growing up with?
I want to take out the young hens, so they don't get assaulted..lol....and I have a home lined up for the boys, but it might not be until this weekend or the weekend after that they go. IN the meantime, do you guys think they will be eachother up out of frustration? They aren't fussing too much now, every now and then they fly at eachother but thats seems to be it so far.
There are 3 roosters and 6 hens in that pen right now, so the girls are definitely outnumbered right now anyway. There weren't supossed to be any roosters in the first place, and the separate pen was just for everyone to grow up in....Its not really big, just a sectioned off part of the bigger run that everybody else is in.
The roosters have just started crowing in the last 3 weeks. one of them hasnt crowed yet, and they are about 5 months old.
What do you guys think?
Veronica

 

[noahsgeese]

I think that if their are no hens than you can do that!

 

[BeccaB00]

Well. I know if they are free ranged they normally do fine. I don't know about being penned up together though. especially if you take their hens away.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

I'm thinking you'd be asking for trouble... I never keep more than 2 mature roos for about 20-25 hens... and one of them is always the dominant roo... the second takes over if something happens to #1.

 

[NC29mom]

I had 2 roosters together, they were raised together since birth. However, after a bit it was obvious which was the dominant. Tiger (dominant) would grab Luther (non-dominant) by the back of the neck and drag him across the pen. Luther wouldn't eat or drink unless Tiger was VERY FAR AWAY. It was really sad. I had to separate them, and they are only 3-4 months old. I just couldn't let mean old Tiger beat up on sweet little Luther anymore. I notice now that Luther is much more at peace, though he still looks around like Tiger is hiding somewhere and gonna get him when he eats and drinks. Hopefully he will realize soon, Tiger's not coming back - IT's LUTHER'S PEN NOW!!!! Tiger is in the pen next to Luther, and Tiger spends 95% of his day walking up and down the fenceline trying to find a way to get in with Luther.

I wouldn't suggest it ,...................................... 1 rooster per pen is ENOUGH!!!!

 

[redhen]

I have 3 roos and 12 hens. They all know their place in the flock...
No big problems at all.. sometimes my alpha roo will jump at one of th eother roos if hes crowing or trying to mate a hen in front of him...
But i have not seen any fights... the other roos back down.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What you are proposing is a bachelor pad, keeping the three roosters together with no females with them. It is a great way to do it. That is the same as keeping three hens together. You are taking away the flock dominance issues and just leaving the normal pecking order issues. There is always a possibility that one will get injured while establishing the pecking order, but the odds are pretty good that it will work. If you remove three roosters from the six pullets and create two separate flocks, you will upset the established pecking order and both flocks will have to reestablish a pecking order. People successfully do it all the time and they will probably be OK, but don't be too surprised if you see some pecking or fighting in either or both groups. It is just the way chickens manage their social agendas. As long as no blood is drawn, none are really hurt.

 

[Sunshyne276]

I really hope so! I have three adult roos now, and one "teenaged" cockerel, and I plan to build a coop and pen for them only.
That is, once I get past the issue of trying to get the two dominant roos to get along. They are separate for now. =/

 

[ooglebloops]

I have 4 Heritage RIR's - one has just started laying eggs!!They were sold to me as hens- but it is kind of looking like the seller had only a 25% success rate in predicting the sex. Looking at photos and doing more research - I am thinking I have 3 cockerels and one pullet. They are in a nice, large rolling cage, and so far get along fine. Having been hand raised in my bathtub(!), they are very friendly. Will these roosters continue to get along, or am I going to have to remove them and get more hens? Very disappointed for my first time out - just wanted 4 "pet" hens for their eggs.

 

[donrae]

I have 4 Heritage RIR's - one has just started laying eggs!!They were sold to me as hens- but it is kind of looking like the seller had only a 25% success rate in predicting the sex. Looking at photos and doing more research - I am thinking I have 3 cockerels and one pullet. They are in a nice, large rolling cage, and so far get along fine. Having been hand raised in my bathtub(!), they are very friendly. Will these roosters continue to get along, or am I going to have to remove them and get more hens? Very disappointed for my first time out - just wanted 4 "pet" hens for their eggs.

you can start a new thread in the "what breed or gender" section, post pics and we can confirm roosters if you want.
If you just wanted hens, get rid of the roosters and get more hens. Folks get so attached to their oops roos and think they have to keep them forever, but I say stick with your original plan!