Fighting Roosters?

[lcbova85]

I gave been trying to convince myself for 2 months that 2 of my chickens that look like roosters are actually hens ( i bought 6 from tractor supply as pullets). I have read the dominant hens can take on traits of roosters. They both crow very softly, as im assuming they are still hens because it is a soft crow and they hear the REAL rooster that's next store and try to copy him. Now I am getting the feeling they both ARE roosters. One is red, one is white. I was watching the red one this evening grab one of the hens by the neck and shake it around and i was making noise for him to stop but he didn't. My white one has blood all over his body like it was sprayed on him, and one of my hens' crown is cut up. I have noticed recently a lot of feathers everywhere. They are always in their chicken run. ( i don't let them out because the neighbors have lots of cats). I don't know what to do about the "roosters" How can I tell if they actually are roosters, or just dominant Hens, and can 2 roosters go together? What can i do to keep them from pecking on the other hens? I don't want to kill or get rid of any of them. Your opinions would be greatly appreciated, as long as you be mature about it.

 

[so lucky]

Two roosters may be able to get along together, but it sounds like they are not, already. If one of them is drawing blood, the other chickens will pick at the victim without mercy. And, if you have two roosters, and four hens, the roos will be beating the girls up constantly, I think. If your run is not really roomy, with places for the chickens to get away from each other, it sounds kinda cruel to keep them all together fighting. You don't say how old they are. You might look at photos of roosters here on BYC and compare with yours to determine if yours are roos. Compare them with their flock mates, too, if they are all the same age. Please consider getting rid of the aggressive roo(s) to preserve peace and safety in the flock.

 

[centrarchid]

lcbova85, post a picture of two birds.

 

[ddmiddle7]

Quote:
^X2

 

[sourland]

If they are crowing and trying to breed the hens, most likely they are roosters. 2 roosters and 4 hens is a bad situation. Heck, 1 rooster and 4 hens is probably a bad situation. Fricasee.

 

[Cadjien_De_Louisiane]

Quote:
Mais oui Fricasee, if thats the case poor hens will not have a chance with two roos they will peck the heck out of them.

 

[centrarchid]

In my experience roosters not all that bad. I even keep them at 1 to 1 ratios with hens and frequently both look good enoough for show. The abundance of feathers, just starting to crow and age guestimate based on description, the flock is molt from juvenile (second overall) feather set into the adult feather set so feathers in run to be expected.

Consider separating males from balance of flock until males come into full adult feathering. The males can be kept together. By time of re-introduction they will have matured enough not to harass females. Reducing males down to one we be a sound option as well.

 

[kfacres]

Butcher the 2 roos and buy 2 new hens... Roos aren't good for anything but making babies, picking on hens and getting mean...all while being on the feedbill... Basically I'm saying they generate very little- to zero profit for what the cost to keep.