Cockerel behavior

[NHMountainMan]

I'll be interested to know how this works out for you. Hope you'll keep this thread updated with your progress.

I'd love for my two cockerels to live in harmony with all my hens/pullets. Right now, at 5 mos, they are each in their own coop and run because they are just too, inadvertently, aggressive with the girls, and the larger cockerel is not tolerant of the smaller anymore.

I also can keep them separate for life with their own flock each, but I will need to get more hens for that. I also have some wishful thinking going on here.

I will update as things progress. I hope you can find some harmony, but glad you have plan b and c available to you!

 

[NHMountainMan]

Also, cockerels will get involved with the egg laying process. My EE cockerel has been very actively “assisting” the pullets in laying their first eggs. He has also taught himself how to sing the egg laying song. Usually he will perch on the entrance to the nest box, blocking the laying pullet inside, then purr until she lays an egg. Sometimes he joins them in the box. It’s pretty funny to watch.
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Thanks - I was shocked to hear mine singing along. He was outside, but seem pretty proud of his ladies!

 

[aart]

When the pullets were laying and singing their egg songs, he was singing along with them

Common......but the 'egg song' is not a celebration per se, but more of a locator call to rejoin the flock after laying. @Shadrach can ezplain it better than I.

 

[NHMountainMan]

Common......but the 'egg song' is not a celebration per se, but more of a locator call to rejoin the flock after laying. @Shadrach can ezplain it better than I.

makes sense. probably most vulnerable when laying - looking forward to seeing @Shadrach point of view!

 

[Futuregreenefarm]

I have less than a year's worth of experience with chickens. However, I have now had 2 sets of brother cockerels. With the first set, I had no olders rooster or even hens for any of them to learn from. The lead rooster did start trying to chase the secondary away. And the secondary became very aggressive to the pullets and even another pet because he could not mate them. Unfortunately, the lead rooster became aggressive to me and my family as well and both of them were culled. They where about 5 months old when all this came about. The set I have now are very different. They came up under their mother hen and 3 older pullets. They are also almost 5 months old now. The lead Cockerel has been very much a "good" Cockerel I think in my limited experience, as he is very different from my first two and I've actually enjoyed him. The secondary is very different also, however he is now pushing himself on the pullets also and this is causing the lead to become upset with him. I have seen the lead now run him around. No major fights yet though. I can't be certain but I really believe the lead would not be upset with him if he wouldnt mess with the pullets. He is very good with everyone, including the secondary, until he started trying to mate also which the pullets will not allow as they have accepted the lead already.

I guess I added my input to say...they are all different with their own personalities but fights for hens seem to be a standard BUT maybe yours won't be the case. I do hope it works out for you. I am trying to re-home my second one and I certainly encourage you to take the advice of the others and have a plan B and maybe even C, especially if you become attached to them both.

Oh, and I believe the song is also an escort call. My mother hen is so loud sometimes but she quietens down once the cockeral comes to her side.

 

[Ghosty]

I would separate them asap. Leige fighters are slower maturing and aren't true game. When Hulk matures and they do fight, Flash won't quit, and you will likely lose one or both of them.