Father and Son Roosters having a show down, Help!

[JenniferP5970]

Ok, So I have a small mixed flock. I currently have 9 hens and 2 roosters. My main rooster is a Sultan/Polish mix and the 2nd roo is one of his offspring that I kept from last summers hatching. Things had been fine between them up until 2 days ago. The younger roo all of a sudden has started attacking Daddy. Beat him up pretty bad. My boyfriend found them, at first thought the older roo was dead because he was pinned to the ground with the younger rooster on top of him, his head was covered in blood. I brought him inside and cleaned him up, one of his wattles was torn and had some minor bleeding on his comb. So I kept him inside for the night. I am trying to keep both Roos. Mainly because I wanted the younger one for breeding because of his coloring and the older guy has proved his worth and I have sort of become attached to him.

However, the younger Roo will not stop attacking Daddy. If Daddy is anywhere within sight the young guy will stop what he is doing and chase down Daddy Roo. I went in for a bit and when I came out I found Daddy Roo with his head stuck in a wood pile trying to get away from the young guy. I now have Daddy Roo in a very large Dog crate inside the coop with his own food and water so that the young roo cannot attack him.

Is there a way to stop the aggressive behavior between the two roos, or am I just going to have to cull one of them. I do not have a second coop to separate them with their own hens. They free-range most of the time. So my only other option would be to only let out one roo with the hens at a time. But this would mean locking one of the roos up in the run. Which them would mean that the hens will not be able to get to their nesting boxes.

What should I do? Or, What can I do?

 

[WhatAboutBob?]

I don’t know of a solution. The son will eventually kill the father unless you make a decision. You likely do not have enough pullets/hens for 2 Roos/Cockerels.

Now that there has been blood shed, I am skeptical that there is anything you can do to reinstate a peaceful coexistence but some here have way more experience than I will weigh in. Maybe there is a way.

 

[sourland]

You will either have to separate them or cull one of the roosters.

 

[bobbi-j]

Chickens have no sense of familial relationships. What you have is a maturing young hormonal cockerel who is coming into breeding age. What he sees is competition in the older rooster. I agree with Sourland. You're going to have to separate them, or remove one from the flock. I have a friend who's rooster was killed by one of his sons. It does happen.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with Sour and Bobbi. An other factor is that you have a small flock. There is not need for more than one roo, and even then, you only need a roo if you intend to hatch chicks.

I recently removed my Alpha roo. He's been with me for 4 years. But, starting this summer, he ceased to "hit the mark". He and the replacement cockerel got along well together, but, even in my flock of up to 28 hens, there is really no need for more than one roo.

So, either keep them separated long term, or get rid of one.

 

[Mrs. K]

One should always solve for the peace of the flock. Wishing they would just get along won't work, we have all tried that. Cull one of the roosters.

 

[RiverOtter]

I'd send the younger rooster on his way.

You like the older one better, he's proven himself to you, and if he made a prettier bird once, he can make another if you decide to hatch out again. the new boy might have a more docile temperament.
But you KNOW that the jr rooster you have now is a fighter, is the color that your senior rooster sired once already worth enough to keep the aggressiveness in your flock?

When you think of breeding an animal think about if you'd like 20 more exactly like that one. With that in mind - who do you keep and breed from?

 

[Folly's place]

I agree with everyone here. I raise chicks and have to make decisions every year about who stay and who leaves. Sometimes extra cockbirds will get along, sometime not. And sometimes it changes overnight, like what just happened with your birds.
Keep them separate from each other and move one on ASAP.
Mary

 

[Farm life101]

You do not have enough hens to go around if you would like to some exotic vets do take spurs out but it’s EXPENSIVE so I would get rid of one of them some places do fing good homes for chickens if that’s what you want or you can just have a fresh chicken dinner. Sorry about that I had that happen before it kinda sucks

 

[YvonneCrzyChckn]

I'd send the younger rooster on his way.

You like the older one better, he's proven himself to you, and if he made a prettier bird once, he can make another if you decide to hatch out again. the new boy might have a more docile temperament.
But you KNOW that the jr rooster you have now is a fighter, is the color that your senior rooster sired once already worth enough to keep the aggressiveness in your flock?

When you think of breeding an animal think about if you'd like 20 more exactly like that one. With that in mind - who do you keep and breed from?

I love your reply, selective breeding. Wish we knew what to watch for or watch OUT for in humans for selective breeding, we just go with our hearts.we are proof that there should be better choices being made. . Js. Lol