Can the alpha rooster intimidate the others roosters.....

[Long Last Farm]

into NOT crowing?

I have 5 roosters - 4 the same age ( about 18-19 weeks), and one about 4 weeks younger. There is definitely one alpha bird. He crows ALOT!!! He is the biggest, most confident one. I have not seen or heard the other roosters crow (except for one who crows RARELY). Could they feel intimated and thus , do not crow?

 

[redhen]

Yup..sometimes.
My alpha roo will go attack my other roos sometimes when they are crowing..
Not sure why..

 

[dzer]

I was going to post new but saw this,I have the same problem.I had two 18 weekold roos in the flock of 12 hens and solded the alfa roo and 5 hens on monday.will my other roo step up and be the man and start crowing or what,the grill.

 

[crtrlovr]

They definitely can and often will. It's a dominance thing. The alpha roo is bolder and gets to do all the crowing and courting, only allowing the others to crow or mate if he (the alpha roo) allows it. I have a buff Orp rooster and a barred Rock rooster. The BR can start to crow and the BO will go after him. The BR often chokes off a crow mid-stream because he seems he's about to be attacked for having the audacity to crow.

The only time he (Barred Rock, aka Brock) can get away with crowing or mating is if Moose (the buff Orp. roo) is otherwise engaged or too far away to do anything about it. Brock is even subordinate to the little Old English Game Bird Mr. Big Stuff. If Mr. Big hears Brock crow or sees him attempt to mate, Mr. Big will take off like a bullet after Brock and will run him ALL OVER the yard and run (approx. 1 acre total) until he thinks he's made his point.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Yep, he'll step up to the plate as soon as he's sure in his mind that the former alpha is gone. My subordinate roo didn't hardly even look like a roo until I re-homed an alpha. Seemingly overnight he bloomed into a roo.

 

[gryeyes]

My large fowl Alpha Roo, Carl, allows my 3 bantam roos to crow, but not to mate - or challenge HIM.

I was worried about fighting with four roosters in my flock, but apparently the bantams don't pose any kind of a threat to Carl. (Which is kinda nice, because I really don't want to get rid of any of the little fellas.)

 

[dzer]

My question is will my BR rooster get his spirit back and start crowing since I sold the alfa RIR rooster.I just didn't like the RIR's attitude.

 

[sourland]

A dominant rooster can actually inhibit testosterone production in the subordinates. They may appear less masculine, stop crowing, and reduce their sexual activity. Once the dominant rooster is removed the subordinate will "get his spirit back", and man up. It will take a while!

 

[dzer]

Thanks Sourland that gives me hope, I try telling him you da man now so man up. LOL!!!! My daughter just told she heard him crow twice today. He is getting back to being the man and will rule the roost.