Game Roosters

[red_autumn68]

Okay, so I managed to get 2 Old English Game Bantam Roosters from Tractor Supply. I know nothing about them other than what I read in my books. Should I rehome these boys or can they live peacefully in the same enclosure? Should they have seperate enclosures to themselves? Can they be around my main flock without starting knock out, drag out fights? I just want to do what is best for the birds, and I really don't like the idea of them living in solitude because they were born male.

 

[fluffycrow]

@Canadian Wind breeds OEGB's! I don't know how game they are with other males, but they can live with hens just fine, even if the hens are LF

 

[red_autumn68]

@Canadian Wind breeds OEGB's! I don't know how game they are with other males, but they can live with hens just fine, even if the hens are LF

Yeah, I'm concerned with them being together more than with my ladies.

 

[fluffycrow]

I do not know how game OEGB's are. Usually though hatchery birds lack the qualities that make them the breed they are, so I'd make a not-so educated guess that they might be ok-ish. Personally I wouldn't risk it and keep them separated though

 

[Ridgerunner]

Okay, so I managed to get 2 Old English Game Bantam Roosters from Tractor Supply.

Do you know which hatchery Tractor Supply got them from? TSC birds typically come from one of three different hatcheries. If you can find out which hatchery they came from you should be able to contact them and chat with somebody.

Old English Game birds were originally bred for fighting so that was bred into them. But the odds are pretty good that hatchery birds have had that bred out of them. Most hatcheries use the pen breeding method to get the volume of eggs they need and to maintain genetic diversity. They may have 15 roosters and 150 to 200 hens in one enclosure breeding randomly. Or if their OEG still have that fighting instinct they may stake the roosters so they can't fight. I don't know but hopefully the hatchery can give you some guidance. But it needs to be the hatchery they came from.

Even if they come from a "mellow" strain of OEG that does not mean they won't fight. Any rooster of any breed can fight other roosters, even Silkies or Orpington, breeds that are supposed to be mellow. So you will still be taking your chances.

 

[red_autumn68]

Do you know which hatchery Tractor Supply got them from? TSC birds typically come from one of three different hatcheries. If you can find out which hatchery they came from you should be able to contact them and chat with somebody.

Old English Game birds were originally bred for fighting so that was bred into them. But the odds are pretty good that hatchery birds have had that bred out of them. Most hatcheries use the pen breeding method to get the volume of eggs they need and to maintain genetic diversity. They may have 15 roosters and 150 to 200 hens in one enclosure breeding randomly. Or if their OEG still have that fighting instinct they may stake the roosters so they can't fight. I don't know but hopefully the hatchery can give you some guidance. But it needs to be the hatchery they came from.

Even if they come from a "mellow" strain of OEG that does not mean they won't fight. Any rooster of any breed can fight other roosters, even Silkies or Orpington, breeds that are supposed to be mellow. So you will still be taking your chances.

They came from Hoover Hatchery. That I know. I'll try to get in contact with them, but I had a feeling, they may need to go into a bachleor pen away from the main flock. I just didn't want them to live alone after being raised with the flock. I haven't had any fights but they are still young, only 6-7 weeks. I thought about staking them so they could still socialize but not fight, but have their own area to sleep at night.

 

[fluffycrow]

They came from Hoover Hatchery. That I know. I'll try to get in contact with them, but I had a feeling, they may need to go into a bachleor pen away from the main flock. I just didn't want them to live alone after being raised with the flock. I haven't had any fights but they are still young, only 6-7 weeks. I thought about staking them so they could still socialize but not fight, but have their own area to sleep at night.

Male-only flocks do not typically work with gamefowl. If that's what you mean. You can keep them by themselves though. Or, you could stake 'em

 

[Canadian Wind]

The 'gameness' has been really bred down in the OEGB, not so much in the standards. I have a friend that took two of my cockerels and they reside perfectly fine together but I may have lucked out with a line that has less tendency towards it. As has been mentioned, it all comes down to individuals.

I love mine and how friendly they are.

 

[dekel18042]

Okay, so I managed to get 2 Old English Game Bantam Roosters from Tractor Supply. I know nothing about them other than what I read in my books. Should I rehome these boys or can they live peacefully in the same enclosure? Should they have seperate enclosures to themselves? Can they be around my main flock without starting knock out, drag out fights? I just want to do what is best for the birds, and I really don't like the idea of them living in solitude because they were born male.

I've never had a problem keeping multiple bantam game fowl roosters within a flock along with large fowl roosters. They do sort out their own pecking order.
Pictured is the Mouseketeer who lives with two other bantam game fowl and two large fowl Ameraucana roosters within a flock.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

My OEGB roosters have always gotten along well with other roosters, including other OEGBs.