Dominant rooster kicked down in pecking order - What should I do?

[All4Eggz]

Yesterday I realized our most dominant rooster was starting to get challenged by our youngest rooster, who was hatched in the middle of last year.

Our Golden Sebright rooster has always been the most dominant rooster in our flock. I always found it hilarious that he’s always been our smallest rooster, yet he stood up for himself the most. Every time we hatched out a new cockerel or we brought in a new rooster, Mr. P was sure to let everyone know he’s the boss. That is, until yesterday afternoon.

Our youngest rooster, a Silver Duckwing OEGB mix, had always been on the lowest spot in the pecking order. I’ve never witnessed ANY rooster, not even our giant GLW roo, challenge Mr. P (the Sebright).
Yesterday, the Sebright and the OEGB mix were fighting for a while. I didn’t think it was too serious, because I thought the OEGB mix would back off sooner or later, like every other rooster would… but no! To my surprise, he was defeating Mr. P even so that Mr. P was starting to get a bloody comb and face.. at that point I knew the Sebright had been defeated the first time in his life. I was really shocked.

I separated the two roos yesterday, and put them back together when the flock went to sleep.

Today, I go to check on the chickens and see Mr. P hiding in the nest box all bloody and weak. I felt really sorry for him. As soon as I lifted the “lid” for the nesting boxes, he jumped out and ran as fast as he could to the garden, and he hid in the corner until everyone went to bed.

Usually, he’s chasing all the other roosters away from his hens, and hangs out with the hens when they are free ranging. He was doing the opposite today. It seemed like he was not only afraid of the OEGB mix, but ALL the roosters.

And just like that, our most dominant rooster, highest on the pecking order, quickly dropped to one of the lowest positions on the pecking order.

I really want to keep both roosters. Both are beautiful and are excellent protectors.

We currently have 6 roosters, with close to 50 hens. We are getting rid of the Barred Rock rooster this Saturday, because we need we need to downsize on the rooster count and he was causing way too much trouble.

Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.

I snapped a few photos when they fighting. Hopefully they help.


ETA: Sorry for such a long post! I may have repeated some things…

 

[Mrs. K]

I think you have a choice, which one do you want to keep? I don't think they will work it out, and I would not expect a truce to last longer than it takes for one of them to heal up. I would let one go, because I like peace in the flock.

 

[MTKitty]

Unless you have a way to separate them into different yards and give each roo his own flock, you may have to choose one.

 

[-Flash-]

Yeah, sorry. I've got two like that. You've gotta choose.

 

[All4Eggz]

I think you have a choice, which one do you want to keep? I don't think they will work it out, and I would not expect a truce to last longer than it takes for one of them to heal up. I would let one go, because I like peace in the flock.

Unless you have a way to separate them into different yards and give each roo his own flock, you may have to choose one.

Yeah, sorry. I've got two like that. You've gotta choose.

Thank you for the replies.

I am afraid I won't have the heart to get rid of one of them.
Hopefully things work out between the two. If not, I will have to consider buying a little separate coop to make a separate flock.

 

[raingarden]

The seabright's reign is over. It happens to them all.

 

[Shadrach]

Thank you for the replies.

I am afraid I won't have the heart to get rid of one of them.
Hopefully things work out between the two. If not, I will have to consider buying a little separate coop to make a separate flock.

Slightly different because the chickens I looked after were free range and that gives the loser in such battles an option to avoid any further conflict and still sneak in from time to time and get to mate with some of the hens.
If the new senior rooster won't let the loser into the coop, or attacks him in the coop then you have what I think is the right answer above. It's what I did when I had something similar happen. I built a new coop for the loser and he took to the new coop quickly.
If you keep these chickens contained then you may know which hens are the losers favourites. If you do then keeping a couple of his favourites in with him will help with his ego problems and mating drive.
Despite what some will write you can keep more than one rooster if you have the room and are prepared to buy or build seperate coops. I've had nine roosters living in reasonable harmony bar the usual posturing scraps from time to time.
Ime if a rooster has a couple of his own hens, he won't bother another roosters hens and this helps keep the confilcts to a minimum.
I've always prefered, and so have the chickens, multiple coops each having a rooster, possibly with male offspring, and up to five hens. More hens and they junior hens may tend to look at increasing their rank by joining another group or a single rooster.
I hope you can make it work.

 

[LukeyLux]

Ah, the fall of a king. I've seen it happen with my flock before. As the others said, separation or removal are the only real options if things fail to work out. IF you choose to separate, I recommend giving your older roo a larger flock and leaving some of the younger hens for the OEGBmix.

 

[All4Eggz]

Today was a repeat of yesterday.

I found the poor guy hiding in the nest box behind a hen laying an egg.

He was even bloodier today .

The poor man couldn’t eat or drink or mate the hens in peace. I gave him some food and water, but he always seemed paranoid.

I felt so bad so I decided to use a temporary separation technique. I have no idea if it’ll make things better or worse, but I’m giving it a shot.

The OEGB mix is in a separate little run, all by himself, with food and water, and the flock can see him and he can see the flock.

He definitely seemed frustrated but I can’t bare to see my Mr. P in the condition he’s in. I am planning to keep this guy in the separate run for at least 2-3 days, giving a chance for the Sebright’s wounds to heal up, and I’ll see what happens.

 

[Chookwagn]

Yesterday I realized our most dominant rooster was starting to get challenged by our youngest rooster, who was hatched in the middle of last year.

Our Golden Sebright rooster has always been the most dominant rooster in our flock. I always found it hilarious that he’s always been our smallest rooster, yet he stood up for himself the most. Every time we hatched out a new cockerel or we brought in a new rooster, Mr. P was sure to let everyone know he’s the boss. That is, until yesterday afternoon.

Our youngest rooster, a Silver Duckwing OEGB mix, had always been on the lowest spot in the pecking order. I’ve never witnessed ANY rooster, not even our giant GLW roo, challenge Mr. P (the Sebright).
Yesterday, the Sebright and the OEGB mix were fighting for a while. I didn’t think it was too serious, because I thought the OEGB mix would back off sooner or later, like every other rooster would… but no! To my surprise, he was defeating Mr. P even so that Mr. P was starting to get a bloody comb and face.. at that point I knew the Sebright had been defeated the first time in his life. I was really shocked.

I separated the two roos yesterday, and put them back together when the flock went to sleep.

Today, I go to check on the chickens and see Mr. P hiding in the nest box all bloody and weak. I felt really sorry for him. As soon as I lifted the “lid” for the nesting boxes, he jumped out and ran as fast as he could to the garden, and he hid in the corner until everyone went to bed.

Usually, he’s chasing all the other roosters away from his hens, and hangs out with the hens when they are free ranging. He was doing the opposite today. It seemed like he was not only afraid of the OEGB mix, but ALL the roosters.

And just like that, our most dominant rooster, highest on the pecking order, quickly dropped to one of the lowest positions on the pecking order.

I really want to keep both roosters. Both are beautiful and are excellent protectors.

We currently have 6 roosters, with close to 50 hens. We are getting rid of the Barred Rock rooster this Saturday, because we need we need to downsize on the rooster count and he was causing way too much trouble.

Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.

View attachment 2994326
View attachment 2994327
I snapped a few photos when they fighting. Hopefully they help.


ETA: Sorry for such a long post! I may have repeated some things…

They are great pictures!

I'm sure they will learn to coexist