cockerel fights

[chix4lyfe]

My two cockerels are 7 weeks old, both have started crowing, and they have always picked on each other. One is significantly smaller and they always start little fights. Just yesterday, our cochin batman (bigger) pecked the other one (small) and he started bleeding. Now the cochin runs at him and they fight like that. I have to quickly stop the fights before to other gets hurt even more. The cochin has even tried hurting a couple pullets . We separated him in a separate place but I want to know what to do. It can't stay like this forever. I know that this is part of the pecking order and they are around that age but I don't want to let any of them to get hurt anymore. Sometimes we let the cochin go with just the girls and he does good, we just keep an eye on him. Thanks!

 

[keesmom]

Our coop can fit up to 25 chickens and it has a large run. We are getting more chicks in a couple of weeks

Is there a reason why you want to keep any of the males? If you really want to keep more than one can you divide the coop in case you need to separate them? A separate pen in the coop can come in handy for other situations, like adding new chicks or keeping an injured bird within the flock but out of harms way.

When their hormones kick in it may get unpleasant for your 2 pullets. You are getting more, but it will be 6 months before they are ready for that kind of attention.

 

[NatJ]

Oh really? I didn't know that. But I think it will be much easier to give him to a new home

I like to eat chicken, and any time I order bantam chicks I seem to get about 2/3 cockerels, so I've eaten plenty of them over the years.

Rehoming sounds like a good solution for yours, given that there's only one of him.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
It's all normal, as long as actual injuries aren't happening. Are they all running around outside, or confined in a coop and run? How many birds, and haw much space do they have?
It's necessary that they arrange their social order, which may or may not go smoothly, and definitely is much tougher in a confined space.
Do you really need both cockerels? Either one? Having one or both gone, sooner rather than later, can be the best decision all around.
Mary

 

[keesmom]

The smaller one has started bleeding from bites but nothing more than that. We have 5 chickens all together and 3 are cockerels. We are going to get more hens later on and we were going to only get rid of one of 3 cockerels. The other one doesn't have a problem with anyone yet, might be because he hasn't started to crow yet? We are almost done with our coop but they have a large area in our garage and they fight the most when we let them play outside. We were thinking we might have to only keep one rooster but we want to make it work if we can.

What will be the dimensions of your coop? Will they be in a run? When do you plan to get more females? Will you have the room to add more?

Having 2 hormonal cockerels with only 2 pullets is often not a great situation.

 

[Folly's place]

Mine are sparring, but not causing injuries, and I'm letting them do their thing.
If it's too intense, and upsetting everyone, and/ or if injuries are happening, then separation would be a good choice.
Then, it will be necessary to rehome one of them, because they won't become better friends later.
Mary

 

[aart]

I think we will have to keep only one. For now should I keep them separated or let them fight?

Separate the one you're not going to keep.
Do you have a plan for where he will go?

 

[chix4lyfe]

Separate the one you're not going to keep.
Do you have a plan for where he will go?

not yet it we will find something

 

[Emmeran]

I should probably do a video on the procedure. It's not hard and is an easy way to increase the value of your pasture raised meat birds.

 

[NatJ]

People eat quail

And people eat bantam chickens, too.

But I don't think it would be worth the time and effort to caponize a bantam