cockerel fights

chix4lyfe

Chirping
Jul 10, 2020
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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!
 
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
 
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
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.
 
Mine get out to free range daily, and that's when most of the drama occurs. It's like "yahoo, we're out!" and the crowing practice and sparring will go one for a while, before most decide to hunt for bugs and play around. Right now we have three adult roosters, and sixteen to eighteen cockerels, so it's interesting out there!
Soon there will be many fewer cockerels, and much more peaceful!
Mary
 
Mine get out to free range daily, and that's when most of the drama occurs. It's like "yahoo, we're out!" and the crowing practice and sparring will go one for a while, before most decide to hunt for bugs and play around. Right now we have three adult roosters, and sixteen to eighteen cockerels, so it's interesting out there!
Soon there will be many fewer cockerels, and much more peaceful!
Mary
Should I leave mine separated or let them fight?
 
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.
 
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.
Our coop can fit up to 25 chickens and it has a large run. We are getting more chicks in a couple of weeks
 
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.
 
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.
I think we will have to keep only one. For now should I keep them separated or let them fight?
 

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