Duel Roos

[Kuntry Klucker]

Hi

This is my first time keeping chickens.

I have discovered that I have 2 roos, and 14 hens.

So I have a few questions for those who have walked this road before

1.) would it work out to keep both
the roos or would they just end up fighting?

2.) will they work out the alpha/beta rooster thing?

3.) If I need to get rid of one which one should I part with...

~ Roo 1 does not like to approach me, when I go into the pen he
heads for the back corner and waits till I leave.

~ Roo 2 is very personable and loves to be held.

They are 6 wks right now. In your experience, which one would make the better roo when
they get older?

Thanks Fellow BYCers

 

[stellacat]

Not to sure, you could always do 7 hens and a roo in 2 different cages if you want to.
I would probably go for roo 2 myself but I have had no experience with them so don't rely on me

 

[Shannon33]

I have had two roos that grew up together live peacefully with each other, and about 8 hens. One took the role of alpha and they just worked out their place in things. I got rid of one because he became mean to humans, but he was fine with the other bird. If you are going to only keep one I would wait until they are older to decide. Their personalities can change a lot especially when hormones kick in, lol.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

I only have one chicken coop with a pen. So there is not way
that I could split the roos up into two different pens.

That would be a great idea if I had more room.

 

[NewToFarming]

Quote:
X2!!
Definitely wait to decide if you even will need to get rid of one. They might do just fine together and you might also see a personality change after their teenage stage.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Speaking of hormones, about what week in maturity does rooster puberty
start?? Just wondering.

 

[Drk_Wlf]

I had 6 roos and 18 hens at one point, but only for short while once they were big enough they became dinner. One roo normally takes over as alpha. I would keep the friendlier one if you have to get rid of one. I find my hens fought a lot less when I had at least one roo. I would have liked to keep one of mine but my neighbors are to close so I didn't want to disturb them with the crowing.

 

[gryeyes]

I am one of those folks who has multiple roosters in my flock. They do NOT fight. Sometimes the bantam roos will face off against each other and posture and crow and dance around, but it's only for show. Some time ago, an adolescent JG cockerel challenged my dominant rooster, an EE. He discovered Carl was in a part of the yard where he was cornered, so he challenged him there. There was a whole lot of REALLY impressive feather flaring, screaching, lunging at each other with feet out, and a few feathers lost. But suddenly the JG decided it wasn't worth it and backed down. He made sure not to walk past Carl ever again with his head up. All Carl had to do was flare his crest/neck feathers ever so slightly and Kellogg would find somewhere else to be in the yard.

I have about 10 sexually mature roosters right now, and who knows how many cockerels growing up in the youngsters..... The flock has an acre on which to range freely, but they mostly stick to the front and back yard, maybe wandering over into the land-lady's back yard now and then. They don't use the whole acre.

A couple of my JG roos are BFFs and actually roost next to each other at night in a small coop transmorgrified from a Little Tykes playhouse. Two hens roost with them, but do not necessarily hang out with them during the day.

Carl occasionally thwaps down a feisty roo trying to mate a hen in front of him (TJ the white leghorn roo is sorta stupid that way) but that's about it.

So... live on the wild side and keep 'em. At least until you find out if they WILL get along after they mature and get past the sex-crazed teen-aged period.

 

[jjparke]

First you have to ask yourself- do I need 2 roosters? If you don't need 2 then I would get rid of one because all the other one is doing is eating your feed and is good for nothing else. They will determine the dominant role. After that I would eat the other one. If you are keeping a rooster it's only for a couple reasons- protect the hens and breeding. If you're not doing either of those there is really no reason to keep a roo at all. IMHO I would keep the bigger, meaner, more aggressive roo because that's the kind of roo I would want protecting my flock.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Great!!

I am getting some great advice and opinions on this
thread.

So I am hearing that it is okay to keep both but if I need
to get rid or eat one of them the more aggressive one
is the better one to keep because he will make a better
flock protector.

So far everyone has said that they will work out the alpha/beta
rooster thing.

I was once told that they will fight no matter what. I am glad to hear
that there is an opposite side to that opinion.

So far they are both good roos. Not any trouble out of either one
of them. They do face off every now and again but I guess that
is to be expected.

When does rooster puberty start ???????

In other words... If one of them is going to be a jerk
how soon would I know??


Thanks