Can my two roosters live together???

[Nikb]

I’ve had roosters in my flock, both now (restarting with chickens after years of none) and in years passed. Most recent experiment was two roos (hatchmates) and ten pullets. it worked fine for a long time, maybe 7 months of peaceful coexistence, but a few weeks ago, one of my two boys gradually turned into a jerk. He couldn’t leave the pullets alone, kept them from eating and was constantly sizing up my alpha roo, who was my pick of the 8 I raised to save for breeding. A couple of weeks ago, he got shipped off to freezer camp. I’ve had more than one roo in a flock before, I’ve also had times like this where one was all that could could stay. I think there is much to be said for the individual personalities of the animals in question. My current alpha roo is super laid back and mellow. If both were of that temperament, it probably would have worked out fine. I also didn’t want the more aggressive of the two to pass on his genes, so he had to go. The only way I find out is to try it and see what happens... sorry, not much help in that answer, but it’s all I have.

Very helpful, thank you. You confirmed that bringing our standard roo back to the farm was the best choice. He was starting to get a little jerky towards the younger hens, stopping them from eating and chasing them around to peck them. Finally he went after the bantam roo, which I tried to let them work it out but things just got too intense. He was a great roo, but in the end I feel he needed more space and more hens, with no other Roos.

 

[Nikb]

We have 3 roosters that get along just fine with 6 hens. Before that we had 4 growing up together with only 2. Granted, they are bantams, but they seem to be just fine. It depends on the roo. If they grew up together they're more likely to get along, and if you let them fight a few times most likely a pecking order will soon emerge. Often times there's one dominant rooster in a multi-roo flock and the others are submissive. The one thing I would worry about is over-mating. 8-10 is a little high, but they need at least 3 hens each and generally more. However, if one is dominant and doesn't let the others mate then that isn't really a problem either. Seeing as you have 6 hens I would see what happens, see if they get along and if they over-mate and stress the hens. If they get along/establish a pecking order and they have enough hens to where the feathers aren't coming off their necks, I wouldn't stress about it.

Unfortunately he had to go back to the farm. He was stopping my two youngest pullets from eating and chasing them to peck at them. He was the alpha for sure but was becoming a bit of a bully and went for blood with our bantam roo. The farmer said he was going to be a pretty big guy full grown and that 8 hens would probably be insufficient for his size and damage could happen. He was a great roo, he knew how to do his job, but we feel he needed more than we could give him.

 

[birdlover2]

Unfortunately he had to go back to the farm. He was stopping my two youngest pullets from eating and chasing them to peck at them. He was the alpha for sure but was becoming a bit of a bully and went for blood with our bantam roo. The farmer said he was going to be a pretty big guy full grown and that 8 hens would probably be insufficient for his size and damage could happen. He was a great roo, he knew how to do his job, but we feel he needed more than we could give him.

I completely understand we might be having to give up our dog soon because she needs more than we can give her, (more attention and less other animals that she thinks are Squirrels!)

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

Just popping in, great info to help when my roos (I believe I have 2) are older.

@birdlover2 that's tough! No fun when you have to make those kinds of decisions with your animals.

@Nikb so are you still keeping 1 roo (I think it was a bantam?)?

 

[Nikb]

Just popping in, great info to help when my roos (I believe I have 2) are older.

@birdlover2 that's tough! No fun when you have to make those kinds of decisions with your animals.

@Nikb so are you still keeping 1 roo (I think it was a bantam?)?

We have kept our bantam roo for now. He’s got a pretty friendly personality right now...not too bossy with the girls but provides them with some protection. He alerts them when there’s larger birds flying over and rounds them up if they wander. We will have to see how he does with our next four hens that’ll be integrated with him in the next few weeks. How old are your roos in question?

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

We have kept our bantam roo for now. He’s got a pretty friendly personality right now...not too bossy with the girls but provides them with some protection. He alerts them when there’s larger birds flying over and rounds them up if they wander. We will have to see how he does with our next four hens that’ll be integrated with him in the next few weeks. How old are your roos in question?

They'll be 2 weeks tomorrow. From everything I've read and seen on here, they look male to me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ they're Lavender Orpingtons.

 

[Nikb]

They'll be 2 weeks tomorrow. From everything I've read and seen on here, they look male to me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ they're Lavender Orpingtons.

They’re beautiful! Fingers crossed they are hens!

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

They’re beautiful! Fingers crossed they are hens!

Oh my goodness thank you, I hope they are! They had 6 left at the feed supply store. A guy checked them out and said they all looked like males to him but they weren't sexed. So I grabbed the ones with more wing development ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It's very exciting either way.