Fighting Roos

[Lrpete]

I have 3 roos and 21 hens. The roos are: DJ (Buff Orpington), Rusty (Beilafelder), and Goose (Buff Brahma). They’re all the same age, about 3 yo, with DJ just 4-6 months older. I got DJ at 4 months old and hand raised the other two from chicks. DJ has been the dominate male and, while he would chase the other roos away from food and the hens, he has fought very little with them. The chickens are free range on large acreage in the mountains and as a result have lived together very well until last week. They coop at night, but are free to roam during the day. DJ has been a very good rooster, kind and gentle with the girls, a good protector, and a very virile boy producing many babies.

In April I started losing chickens to predators and finally discovered it was a mama cougar and 3 youngsters. They took 6 hens in a month. Fish and Wildlife put up a large poultry fence around the coop to create a run for the chickens in order to deny the cougars an easy meal during the day. They then hazed the mama to drive her away, and between that and the poultry run, it seems to have worked.

About a week ago, Rusty and Goose started ganging up on DJ and the two of them would attack DJ together. It was brutal. Both Rusty and DJ were bloody. I started putting Rusty outside of the run during the day and left DJ, Goose and the girls inside. Then a few days ago it occurred to me that perhaps the reason for the fighting was the confinement in the run and the roos couldn’t get away from each other, so I took the fencing down hoping it would solve the problem. It now appears that DJ’s being denied food and has, essentially, been kicked out of the flock. In the mornings I carry him to the opposite side of the yard and feed/water him in a location away from the others. During the day I usually see him alone and it’s breaking my heart bc he’s my favorite.

Sorry for the long story, but my question is what to do? I’m considering getting rid of Rusty and Goose (butcher or re-home), but if I do, will DJ be accepted back into the flock? Occasionally, a few of the girls will hang out with him, but he doesn’t go near the coop area until bedtime. I would really like to keep DJ bc he’s such a lovely fellow, but have concerns about that for the following reasons:

• He’s 3 years old and has some daughters and maybe a couple granddaughters in the flock
• Will the hens take him back and allow him to mate?
• Will he get his confidence back?
• If I re-home him to a place where he’s the only male, can he take on the dominate role?

This whole thing is breaking my heart since everyone was getting along so well until the cougars and the fencing. Any advice will be appreciated.

 

[sourland]

It is normal for roosters to want to increase their position in the flock so that their DNA gets to carry on. It is also normal for subordinates to team up to depose the flock leader. DJ is young enough that once the other two are removed from the flock he should regain his mojo. Good luck at resolving this.

 

[Mrs. K]

This is the real problem with roosters. Todays behavior is just not a good indicator as to how the behavior is going to be next week. I do think the confinement was an issue, but what are you going to do? Predators can wipe you out. I am amazed that chicken wire stopped the cat.

My prediction is this trio is not going to work, it is not going back to how it was. There is a very good possibility that this issue would have popped up even if you did not have the whole fencing issue.

I would not worry about inbreeding for several generations. If by some fluke you started getting crossbeams or something, well, you have need to rethink this. Inbreeding is real, but it has to be pretty severely maintained, and over a long period of time.

Mrs K

 

[Lrpete]

It is normal for roosters to want to increase their position in the flock so that their DNA gets to carry on. It is also normal for subordinates to team up to depose the flock leader. DJ is young enough that once the other two are removed from the flock he should regain his mojo. Good luck at resolving this.

Thank you, that’s encouraging. I‘m going to try to re-home the other two roos with the hope that it will resolve the issue and DJ can be restored as flock leader.