Crazy But Can 2 Rooster Brothers Live Together??

[Reiki Rooster]

Hello, here is my question, I've been hand raising this last batch of chicks, hand fed every day for months. 6 hens 2 roosters, they are now about 6 months old ( give or take a month ) and I have introduced them to my main flock of 10 hens. Normally, I would of re-homed both roosters but my head rooster passed, and the reason I'm even considering both is that they have NEVER once fought that I have ever seen. I have seen the hens fight for pecking order, the males are trying to figure out how to mate, but not once have they spurred off against each other. They both crow, if a hen makes a distressed called they both come running and it's almost like they work together, "talking", taking separate areas to guard. Really interesting to watch. I'm just wondering if this is something they will out grow once they get older, and they will eventually turn on one another? Has anyone ever seen this or had some experience with this? I'm so out of my element here. Thank you.

 

[Nyla]

I once had 2 roosters and 15 hens barnyard mixes all the same age raised from chicks. I thought one of the two roosters was a hen until they both crowed. They seemed to get along great. They only fought a couple times but never anything too serious. I had the flock for 2 years then I re-homed the entire flock to a new time chicken owner who still has them today at 3 years old. Both roosters are still getting along. So your two just might work!

 

[BantyChooks]

I had 15 roosters together all summer. I doubt you will have an issue.

I prefer having multiple male birds because they do (as you have observed) set up rather a chain watch, making it more likely that a predator will be spotted before it is too late.

 

[bobbi-j]

It's possible, with the amount of hens you have, and since your cockerels have grown up together, that it could work. Do they free range? That can help a lot. Last year I had two cockerels that grew up together, and the same amount of hens you do, and it worked. I would say keep an eye on things, though. Just because they haven't fought YET doesn't mean it won't happen. As they mature, they may decide that one of them needs to be the boss. I'd have a plan in place to separate one or both of them if things get ugly.

 

[TattooedChicks]

I have two cockerel brothers now who have been great these last 8 months or so. Just a few little tiffs every blue moon, but they resolve fast and never with violence. They often spend a lot of time together and take turns watching over the flock, tidbitting, and the like.

 

[Reiki Rooster]

Wow you have given me hope I have my emergency pen 8X10 for sick or injured as backup, and that is movable around the property. Also, they free range during the day on 5 acres, penned at night in a 20X30, 7 days a week thanks to mine and my hubby's work schedule we are lucky enough we can manage that. These 2 just really threw me for a loop with their dynamics, I've hatched brothers before and seemed like by 4 months old they were fighting so bad they had to be re-homed.

 

[aart]

Numbers and/or familial relationships and/or hand feeding-raising don't really matter.
If they get along, they get along......if they don't, they don't.
Only time will tell.
You know what to do if things 'get ugly'.
and Big Kudos for having a separate enclosure ready in case of problem birds.

 

[Abriana]

Rooster raised from chicks together tend to get along quite nicely. As long as they have plenty of space and plenty of hens, you shouldn’t have any issues. Many people find that free ranging their chickens also helps with aggression because there is plenty of space for everyone. Lots of space and lots of hens help reduce aggression toward each other and toward you.

 

[Reiki Rooster]

Lol so far the most "aggressive" they have been towards me is shoving each other for my shoulder as a roost. However, in their chicken heads solved the problem by using my head as a perch too.

In all seriousness, thank you all for the responses, I'm just going to keep doing what I do and keep a close eye on them, but seems like how we run our flock should be fine for them. Today, one rooster has half the hens on one side of the property and the other is on the opposite side with the rest of the hens. They call off crows to each other, and meet up every so often, but just exploring. Thank you again

 

[centrarchid]

Breed?