Fighting roosters

[The Fairy Godmartyr]

I have 10 pullets and 2 roosters in a run, all of which will be a year old next month. Up until this point, my roos have gotten along just fine. Yesterday, though, they had a real knock-down-drag-out. One (the dominant roo) now has a few bald spots on his head and a little damage to his comb, but is well enough that the hens aren't picking on him. I had to separate the other out because he had a good amount of blood on his comb and the hens kept picking at it. He's convalescing in my basement right now, but I'm thinking I'll move his "hospital room" out to the coop tonight so I don't have to listen to another 6am wake-up crow tomorrow morning. Roosters don't make good house pets.

My question is, do you think these two boys can ever be put back together? Now that they've fought once, are they more likely to do it again? I wasn't home when they got into it, but rushed back when my husband called to tell me. By the time I got there, they were both hunkered down under the coop, side by side, not bothering each other. But I don't want them to end up really doing damage to each other. Advice?

 

[pride&joy]

I would think unless they are games, they will figure it out and coexist with the occasional tussle? IMO?

 

[sourland]

They will fight again upon reintroduction. Monitor them and if the situation resolves quickly they may coexist. Generally unless they are free ranged or have LOTS of space roosters will continue challenging one another once it has started. There are lots of perks involved in being the flock leader.

 

[abubakar4u2003]

If the roosters have been brought up together they are most likely to make a compromise. But the only problem will be the hens. Each one of them will want to have most hens. I remember my first flock of chickens raised in 2001 they were Rhode Island Reds. there were 3 roosters and 6 hens. As soon as they grew up, one rooster got hold of whole flock and other 2 just had to retreat. So, I had to make them up for my dinner. The next flock that i got had 3 roosters and all of them went along together nicely with 15 hens. And all of them were not game roosters.
What I think from my experience is that if they are not game then fighting among them depends on the mating capability of the roosters. If they desire to have lots of mating partners, then there will surely be fights and believe me those will be bloody ones. On the other hand, if they don't want to have that much sex, then they will go along.

 

[bburn]

Their purpose is to procreate. They will fight for the right. It is really sad but it is not worth to to have them beat each other up. Only other option is a second coop and run...and divide the hens between them.

I have done it THREE times now....yes, three coops and run.

Never again will I have more than one roo in a flock.

 

[centrarchid]

My flocks of dominiques are mostly free ranged and often have more than one rooster to each (roosters are full siblings). Dominant rooster generally in front to middle of harem and gets majority of matings. Subordinates(s) roosters move about periphery of harem and frequently attempt matings, sometimes with willing hens and sometimes successfully. Such matings often interupted by other roosters, especially the dominant rooster. We call that something similar to "rooster" blocking. Changes in rank or at least attempts at it can be fairly brutal knockdown dragouts but order is quickly restored in respect to interest of hens. Damage to combatants usually minimal although feather breakage or loss typical. Occasionally eye is blinded.

More serious damage associated with confinement were looser can not get away from winner. Run of OP may not allow avoidance of aggressor. I am not familiar with hens pecking at bleeding roosters. My roosters when so pecked put hens in their place, even when rooster is subordinate.