can two roosters co-exist?

[lydiasmom]

hi, I'm in Connecticut and have 3 hens, well until last night when a mile or so from home I saw a chicken that needed rescuing. he's a beautiful barred rock. I know he's a he by the way he crowed this afternoon! long story short we have a polish rooster and two hens due to arrive here in a month. a friend that raises poultry has raisecd them for us until they are big enough to put in with our hens. so we now have a rooster and another on the way. The rescued rooster seems young, I don't see obvious spurs on him. the polish rooster will be very young.

any feedback appreciated, we have no way to separate them and if I should get rid of this new guy I want to start looking for a home for him now. thanks

Sandy

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Better start looking for him a home soon. Not because two roosters can't co-exist, they can. I have two boys in my flock and they have established a dominant and less dominant roo. There will be fighting until that's established however. But the reason I would find him a new home is because you only have three hens. Two roos and three hens is not good...not good at all. They will overmate those girls to the brink of chicken insanity. Poor things won't have a feather on their backs or heads if you keep two roos with three girls...or even five. Roo to hen ratio should be no less than 8 girls to each boy.

 

[Pam Allan]

I ended up with 3 roosters because the chicken supplier can't hire expert "sexers" - anyway - One rooster killed the other (two buffs)- I took him to the vet to be put down - thankfully someone who worked there has a brother who took him. So I now have the one rooster (Australorps - however you spell it) and it's much more peaceful. I have another run that has 10 birds in it- supposed to be all hens - but once again someone goofed and three are roosters - I'll have to take all three back to the feed store -I'll never have multiple roosters again - too much testosterone.

 

[Pam Allan]

I can attest to the lack of feathers on the hen's back. Another reason to only have one rooster in a small flock. I've got 6 to one and it's too small a ratio. I'm going to have to buy a hen apron as soon as it cools down.

 

[lydiasmom]

thanks everyone. there is an animal rescue farm about 1/8 mile from us, I'm going to see if they have room for a roo. the new roo is coming with two hens, but still that will make it 5 hens to 2 roos, I'm thinking not good. bummer.

 

[sourland]

The Polish rooster would eventually be the loser in any confrontation. One rooster to the number of hens that you have would be the best and least aggravating situation. Chickens should be fun-not stress.

 

[rcentner]

ok, I have 3 roos is one pen and they do great together....also..... I find that the little roosters are more feisty and usually are the ones that win over a big roo. My BR roo was being attacked by my little cochin mix roo (I separated them) and although my br roo is twice the size, the littler one was winning. The only roo that could stand up to and defeat that roo was a roo smaller than him, an oegb.
It helps if they are young, you just need lots of hens.