Help!!!!!

[the1honeycomb]

I have 3 flocks of chickens a bantum Americana (1rooster, 3 hens) a bantum Cochin (2 roosters 2 hens), and a large fowl mix (1 rooster and 5 hens) the bantums are new had them about 2 weeks. I tried to put the bantums all together today and the fighting was crazy the 2 cochin roos attacked the Americana and then the large fowl roo came after him also all at the same time!!!! I had to remove him, the others wouldn't let up but they didn't fight each other!! very crazy and the large Cochin femals (2) attacked the Bantum Americana chick I have the day was not pretty I had to seperate them
HOw long do you think this will go on??

 

[CathyM]

How big a space are they in? I don't have roosters, so I can't help with advice here, but I found a very good "how-to" on this site about introducting new birds... just Search for it -- lots of good advice.

 

[rcentner]

1) depends how old they are
2) some roosters will not accept other roos, no matter what
3) you need a lot more hens
4) you will need plenty of room for the roosters to get away from eachother
5) trim spurs...u don't need to cut the spurs off, but make em nice and short

I have had luck introducing roos after they have seen eachother through a fence (for a long while). They can fight through the fence and not hurt eachother. After approx 3-4 months, they usually do ok if there is enough room. This way the roos all have thier own hens and dont feel the need to fight over them.

On the other hand, I have had roos that no matter what, would not get a long with another roo.
Size matters sometimes...gotta watch the little ones, they can put a hurtin on the big ones despite what you might think. They can run them around and jump all over them.

Lastly, they will need to fight to establish a rank and I dont intervene unless there are serious injuries. A little blood doesn't qualify. They usually bloody up the combs and waddles pretty good.

Good luck!

 

[the1honeycomb]

the large fowl have a run 16 by 32. each of the bantum flocks have 8 by 24, the coops are large way bigger than the recomended so i don't know what to think I will keep them seperated until I figure this out

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Quote:
Your hen to roo ratio is not favorable and they are new to one another. That's two things going against you. Beacuase you got a roo with each group of new bantams I wonder if you plan on breeding them and if so you want to keep the in seperate groups. Either seperate them into "breeding" groups and keep one Roo for each group.

Just my opinion as to how I work it.
Good Luck fellow chicken lover

 

[the1honeycomb]

I do have them seperated but when I bought them the woman " threw in" the cochin roos,the americanas I do hope to be able to breed so I guess I will keep them seperated
Thanks fo rthe help

 

[oldodonnell]

Hi,

for small coops, like us, i rooster per house is all it will take. i was told one rooster to twelve girls. anymore and there is fighting.

so you may need to reposition your assets. good luck and feel free to ask me anything.

 

[sourland]

It's the pecking order and will go on until resolved. Without separation this may result in the death of some of your chickens.