Can roosters successfully coexist in a small flock?

[agold23]

Hi, I have a small flock of 7 and 2 of which are roosters, one is a 1y/o silkie and the other is a 15/16 week old RIR. We haven’t heard any crowing from the RIR, he often hangs out with his sister away from the silkie rooster and his two pullets. My silkie hen and chick stay away from everyone else. The RIR siblings are at the bottom of the pecking order and there haven’t been any squabbles other than the very rare time we’ve seen the silkie rooster chase the RIR cockerel around and after that they’re back to normal (he’s also done this with the pullets in the flock). RIR cockerel has been with my silkie roo since he was about 8 weeks old.

My main question is, is it possible for them to coexist into adulthood with the very limited choice of hens? Since they have MG it will be very unlikely we’ll be able to give them away so we’ll be left with the last resort of culling one of the roosters if consistently big fights do start. Has anyone had any success with integrating cockerels at a young age with hens and another rooster with them able to get along when they’re older?

The silkie rooster is generally docile unless you get too close then he attacks. He’s very protective and watchful. My RIR cockerel comes running for food when you come outside and will tolerate being held. He’s very docile.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Since one is a bantam, it will have a much better chance of working out. Though you may run into problems with over-mating.

 

[Shezadandy]

Time will tell - the size difference should work in your favor- the more space and feeding stations the better. Unless one is hell bent on being a jerk, usually they learn to work things out. I've got more roosters than anyone needs and they all do well together, everyone has their own 'area', usually surrounding a feeding station or a favorite dust bathing spot, and they all go into the same coop at night with no issues. Some squire 'their' girls to and from the nest boxes. If you start to see bodily damage to one of them - that will be the cue to do something different- whether you make a separate area for the bantam family - or whatever.

p.s. thanks for being attentive to the MG issue!!

 

[Pollito Pelon]

I have two roosters they coexist they do not fight the secondary roo knows his place and gives the alpha his space they sleep and bathe together

 

[LostBoi73]

Yes but depend on the roos

 

[Mrs. K]

The odds are not in favor of this working. I would expect it not to work. Generally small flocks have small coops/runs. Where multiple roosters work is when they are of different generations, and in a farm like setting, which tends to be a much larger flock.

It will work, until it doesn't, and it can get quite violent - have a way to separate them, and have it set up and ready to go.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Since one is a bantam, it will have a much better chance of working out. Though you may run into problems with over-mating.

I think since the dominate rooster is the bantam it will be more of an issue.
Don't you think the RIR is soon gonna outgrow the silkie and decide he should run the show?
I've also had quite a few silkie roosters that have the small man attitude and always want to prove themselves.
Agree on the over breeding and I think space available will be the biggest factor.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I think since the dominate rooster is the bantam it will be more of an issue.
Don't you think the RIR is soon gonna outgrow the silkie and decide he should run the show?
I've also had quite a few silkie roosters that have the small man attitude and always want to prove themselves.
Agree on the over breeding and I think space available will be the biggest factor.

Unless the silkie is very stubborn, a fight between the two should be over relatively quickly. There’s still things that could go wrong, though, but if the OP keeps a close eye on the situation and provides ample space, I believe it could work out.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Unless the silkie is very stubborn, a fight between the two should be over relatively quickly. There’s still things that could go wrong, though, but if the OP keeps a close eye on the situation and provides ample space, I believe it could work out.

I also believe it can work. Too many variables to predict though.
Ya stubborn is a good word to describe the majority of silkie roosters I've had. The last one constantly provoked alterations with a huge black orpington I had. Luckily the orpington wasn't too worried so he took it easy on the little fella.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Late to this thread. It could work or it could not. I have roughly (I'm still moving birds around this group so numbers are likely to change) 12 females (5 are pullets from this year) to 3 males (one isba cockerel from this late spring) with 2 of the females currently brooding. They do fine, but my flock master is a good bird to the hen and lets the other males know his place. He was knocked down a peg last year for about a month, but took it back with almost no blood spent. None of the hens look over bred and all still enjoy hanging out with them. The younger male occasionally breeds a female that my main guy doesn't (He's not able to reach 2 of my larger girls all the time like my 2nd in command can), but he doesn't go after the ones my male breeds with regularly.

We will see how the balance shifts when the 3rd is trying to breed, but my ratio is roughly the same as yours.