How do you handle multiple roosters?

[Artie]

I have five (soon to be six) young chickens, at least three of which appear to be cockerels. I have hand raised them all and am very attached.

My flock consists of three older ones that are already living in the coop, which I am pretty sure are two hens and one rooster.

The other two are much younger. They still spend their days in their own pen (separate from the older ones) outside and come in at night. I am pretty sure these are both roosters. I've had them since just hatched and they're inseparable buddies.

A friend and neighbor is giving me another hen since I seem to be light on those.

So my question is, if I wanted to keep all of these birds, what would I have to do -- keep all of the roosters separate? Is there any chance that the two young cockerel buddies could stay friends and be kept together separately? Or would that be torture with hens nearby? And will they inevitably fight?

I appreciate your advice and help.

Artie

 

[mljohnson05]

All roosters will have "family Spats"...lol
I had 4 roosters that lived together and got along Just fine...I raised them together since day one....it is possible, you will just have to see what their temper is going to be like......If you get a mean one...then most likely it will not be a happy ending.






Best Wishes,
Laura

 

[Bedste]

I have a "bachelor pad" in the back 40. It is a square dog run with fencing across the top and a roof and a few perches and feeders. I have 9 roosters in there. They are fine and happy.... as long as there are no hens in sight they are all buddies. My friends give me their unwanted Roosters and I put them in a little cage in the big rooster pen (Bachelor Pad) and after a few days when everyone is used to the new guys, I let them out. They spend about 10-20 minutes making sure that the new guy knows he is bottom on the pecking order...... then harmony once again sets in.

This is also where I raise up my three Welsummer Roosters------ the nicest prettiest one will be the next Rooster to the 5 Welsummer hens...... My last Welsummer Roo continued to attack grandkids inspite of all my efforts to discourage this behavior. He became chicken soup.

All of the roosters will be sold or eventually eaten but they are very happy. They also free range one day a week when all the others stay in....

 

[sadies chicks]

So far I have 3 roos, all 16 weeks old and they had their first "official" spat yesterday. My Tommy boy received the brunt of the fight and ended up with a damaged head and broken toenail, see pic. I really hope they are calm roos, they all seem to be at this point (besides the boy fight), but I know they are just now getting in to their "rooster" stage. I most likely will be rehoming all of them, as I don't want chicks, just eggs. The chicks we received were all "straight run" so we didn't know who would be a roo and who wouldn't

 

[DaughterOfEve]

If you have to keep boys and girls together you will need at least 8 hens for every roo and plenty of coop and yard space. If it is possible to keep them separated then roos get along much better without hens around.

 

[Artie]

Well this gives me a little hope

At least it seems possible.