Can a new emerging Roo coincide with existing roo?

[LilFrenchies]

So, the saga continues in the Urban Frenchy chicken yard....For those of you who have seen previous posts I am new to the chicken garden and acquired two 2 week old bantam chicks end of April (Pickle & Peep) followed by 5 new 4 day old ones end of May (3 silkies, 1 peking bantam, and 1 padou). All was well until one of the first bantam's began to crow :-( The no - crow collar was a success and neighbors said they really didn't mind even witthout the collar - SUCCESS!!! I now have the crowing of Mr. Pickle under control and the bullying of the 5 new ones seemed to have subsided as they free range and sleep in the same coop with minimal outbursts. UNTIL TODAY - Peewee the disco chick (peking bantam) has revealed himself as Peewee the disco "dude"! I heard multiple crowing a day or so ago and thought Mr. Pickle was just being wierd but I now realise it was not him crowing twice but rather Peewee closely mimimicking the first crow!! :-( When I went out this morning I found Mr. Pickle guarding the exit of the coop and dodging in and out to bully the others to stay inside - he actually was not letting any of them out of the coop!? Seriously....he was on full alert at any attempt for them to leave and went charging at them so they would retreat back inside.....wth??

I have segrated him and Miss Peep and left the 5 others together in the slightly smaller free range area - but what am I to do now? They have been all free ranging and sleeping together for the past couple of weeks, so shouldn't the younger roo be just natrually integrating with the slighter older one (we're talking 5 or 6 weeks in age diff!)? I plan to try and mix them again in free range area tonight and see how they get on, but has anyone experienced this or have any advice on the topic?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Pork Pie]

In my limited experience, a subordinate cockerel will not crow (unless he wants a beating from the top cockerel) so he's laying down the gauntlet to the older cockerel at the moment and he is trying to show who is the boss by marshalling all the chickens around.

I think they just need a bit of sparring to sort things out and then things should get back to normal once your peking bantam knows its place. I had two cockerels and it took less than 10 seconds sparring to sort out who was boss.

Good luck!

CT

 

[LilFrenchies]

Thanks so much for your reply!!

The trouble is that I work during the day so was kind of scared to leave them alone all day unattended so I segregated them...maybe that didn't help much! You think I should leave them to it for tomorrow while I'm at work and hope they don't go to far when I'm not there with their sparring or think it best to keep them segregated when I'm not home?

 

[Den in Penn]

If they grew up together I would leave them sort it out even if I wasn't there. There is a chance of serious injury, but that is very slight. Mostly if there is room one will back off before that happens. If you plan on keeping both cockerels, its going to have to happen. The only chance you have is to watch them all the time till it does. Since it may not come to blows, if ever, for some time that would be a lot of time till then you would have to spend right there waiting. Even watching it happen you can't intervene or they would just keep trying till it is sorted out.

 

[Pork Pie]

If they grew up together I would leave them sort it out even if I wasn't there. There is a chance of serious injury, but that is very slight. Mostly if there is room one will back off before that happens. If you plan on keeping both cockerels, its going to have to happen. The only chance you have is to watch them all the time till it does. Since it may not come to blows, if ever, for some time that would be a lot of time till then you would have to spend right there waiting. Even watching it happen you can't intervene or they would just keep trying till it is sorted out.

I totally agree!

 

[LilFrenchies]

Thanks! They seemed to mix fine last night when I combined them in the free range area and they all happily went into the coop again to sleep. This morning, they all came out fine. However, Mr. Pickle does seem to want to "exert" himself with the lady flock so maybe that's the issue, as the 4 other ladies were actually brought in with Peewee. So I'm thinking he may just be wanting to show the young Peewee that these are his ladies now that they're coming of age? Peewee has shown no interest in making sweet jiggy jiggy with any of them....YET.

I left them to it today and am hoping no bloodshed when I get home. You're absolutely right - I can't be there 24/7 to watch over them so I'll take my chances and if it gets out of hand then I'll just have to rehome one of these boys!

 

[Pork Pie]

I'm pretty confident that the will be just fine. If you are intending keeping both cockerels then you will need more hens. Reading here on BYC a ratio of at least 8 hens to one cockerel is about right, so you would need 16 hens for two cockerels (at least). Having too few hens runs the risk of increased fighting between the cockerels and the hens receiving "too much attention" from the cockerels, which could result in stress, feather loss and injury (as they are likely to be repeatedly mated).

Down to the old "chicken maths" issue

and one that we all suffer from! At least you have an excuse to increase the size of your flock!

All the best

CT

 

[LilFrenchies]

yes, seems a good idea but......16?! Somehow I don't think my husband isn't going to like the expansion of our urban chicken garden into a full fledged chicken farm of 18!!! I'll think more about rehoming one of them.

 

[Pork Pie]

Its a better option than keeping two cockerels and having your girls stressed out!

 

[aart]

7 birds total?
2 males?

I'd be more concerned about over mating of the pullets than the cockerels fighting.


What are your goals in keeping chickens?
What kind of housing do you have for them?