Help! Please! Pecking order situation.

[Savagetiny]

Hello! This is long, I’m sorry, but I need help! The picture is of my babies, this post is about the adults. I’m having issues with my roosters. Before now, everyone got along, everyone knew the pecking order and was great. My littlest rooster (ayam cemani) was alpha, he was an adult when I brought everyone else in as chicks and the roosters never fought to change this.

Half the chickens got out of the coop and into the yard and I let it happen because they were safe. Maybe about a month of this. Roughly 15-20 chickens. They made their own pecking order with the chickens out of the coop. My cemani was inside the coop. Well a bunch of hawks were gathering trying to take my chickens so I put them back in the coop with everyone else.

Then the alpha who was outside of the coop was challenging my cemani so he could be leader. My other roosters are like double his size (midnight majestic marans, brown leghorns, cream legbars). When he was able to win, the other roosters realized they could fight him and beat him up too.

So now it’s a blood bath in my coop. A maran is now leader, but anytime my camani comes out of hiding all the roosters gang up on him and bloody him up. He’s dropping weight because they’re not letting him by the food, he’s constantly bloody, and incredibly scared to come out of hiding.

What do I do? My cemani is my favorite chicken, he’s so sweet! I put him in a mini coop inside the big coop to heal, but he can be completely seen by the other roosters and they’re hanging out trying to get to him. When I let him out they will all attack him. I’m scared for him!

 

[KRack]

I’d pick my favorite rooster and get rid of the rest. It sounds like the other roosters co-exist well, so you may just have to rehome the ayem cemani.

He shouldn’t have to live like that.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What do I do? My cemani is my favorite chicken,

Build a bachelor pad. Build a separate coop/run big enough for all the boys and keep them all except for your Cemani in there forever. No girls allowed. Leave the Cemani with the girls.

Get rid of all the other boys. get rid of means eat, sell, or give them away.

Build a separate coop/run for the Cemani and a few girls. Forever keep them separated from the rest.

For all three of these, don't hatch any more chicks or get anymore chicks unless you know their sex until you have a plan to deal with the boys. This is going to be a recurring issue.

 

[aart]

Typical multiple male scenario.
If you want to keep all those males, they will probably need to be kept in separate enclosures.

 

[nuthatched]

We have a lot of roosters. Too many to be in a normal coop. they have just been all coexsisting so well for so long I didn’t see a need to downsize my roo population until now. I was just hoping because they all have been together for so long with no issue there would be a way for him to become part of the flock again.

It's spring, hormones are rushing in.

 

[agarnp]

What a disturbing situation - I couldnt stand seeing my favorite rooster abused. I hope his situation changes soon

 

[nuthatched]

How many hens to roos? How big is the coop?

 

[Party_Chicken]

You can only have one roo per 10 hens if you are going to keep them all make sure they all have the right amount of hens

 

[aart]

You can only have one roo per 10 hens if you are going to keep them all make sure they all have the right amount of hens

The 'rooster' to hen ratio of 1:10 that is often cited is primarily for fertility efficiency in commercial breeding facilities.

It doesn't mean that if a cockbird has 10 hens that he won't abuse or over mate them.

Many breeders keep pairs, trios, quads, etc ....short term and/or long term.

It all depends on the temperaments of the cock and hens and sometimes housing provided.

Backyard flocks can achieve good fertility with a larger ratio.

 

[Party_Chicken]

The 'rooster' to hen ratio of 1:10 that is often cited is primarily for fertility efficiency in commercial breeding facilities.

It doesn't mean that if a cockbird has 10 hens that he won't abuse or over mate them.

Many breeders keep pairs, trios, quads, etc ....short term and/or long term.

It all depends on the temperaments of the cock and hens and sometimes housing provided.

Backyard flocks can achieve good fertility with a larger ratio.

I agree right know my rooster has 8 hens and he is doing just fine 1:10 is just a good median