How to handle my roosters fighting?

[Robind15]

Hello, I need some advice with my two roosters. I've had the Brahma for two years, and then I bought pullet chicks last year ; one of the Amerucanas grew up to be a rooster.
Go figure, lol.

They grew up together and lived in harmony for a year, except for the Brahma chasing off the Amerucana occasionally but with no extreme contact. They are pasture-raised and have plenty of ladies.

They have recently been fighting, which I can only imagine is due to the 26 new 10 weeks old pullets I have introduced to the group. Yes I introduced them properly and they are getting along just fine with everyone. Its just the roosters that are having the problem. I understand the pecking order is getting figured out but I need a solution for the boys.

How do I handle this? I’ve heard of solitary confinement?
I’d like to not cull or get rid of him as he is a good rooster. Both are.

I’m open to advice. Thanks in advance!

 

[Evadig]

I have two roosters who don't get along. I alternate the times they get to free range. Either every other day or half of each day. My setup is a little different than most people's though. It is one large coop divided into three runs, so I have a lot of flexibility in who I want to let out for the day.
Edited to add, I've tried solitary confinement, it only put them in a bad mood for weeks.

 

[Robind15]

I have two roosters who don't get along. I alternate the times they get to free range. Either every other day or half of each day. My setup is a little different than most people's though. It is one large coop divided into three runs, so I have a lot of flexibility in who I want to let out for the day.
Edited to add, I've tried solitary confinement, it only put them in a bad mood for weeks.

They got along just fine till now. I think the young chicks threw off the pecking order. I’ve also noticed the hens have flocked to my Brahma more than the Amerucana. I’m hoping to find a solution until the young pullets are mature enough for both rooster to be content.

The amerucana I separated. I have a small coop in the big coop. The young pullets have yet to leave the big coop and roam into the yard even with the door open. He is confined in the small coop but still able to mingle and watch them. Would that better his mood?

The hens come and go to the big coop as well to eat drink and lay eggs too.

 

[Evadig]

They got along just fine till now. I think the young chicks threw off the pecking order. I’ve also noticed the hens have flocked to my Brahma more than the Amerucana. I’m hoping to find a solution until the young pullets are mature enough for both rooster to be content.

The amerucana I separated. I have a small coop in the big coop. The young pullets have yet to leave the big coop and roam into the yard even with the door open. He is confined in the small coop but still able to mingle and watch them. Would that better his mood?

The hens come and go to the big coop as well to eat drink and lay eggs too.

It definitely helps my roo's mood if he can at least interact with the hens though the fence. You can always try it and see what happens .

 

[LRH97]

How bad are the fights? Incessant? Overly violent? The major key is to have enough space. Roosters routinely spar with each other. Many of these don't amount to much as long as there is enough space for the "loser" to get out of the area and back down. Usually, the big problems happen when the birds are cramped or overcrowded and one male corners the other and more or less beats the tar out of him until he's a bloody mess. 10 weeks is still young for your 26, but that isn't a bad gender ratio. If you've got ample space and ample females, you may be best off letting them duke out their maleness if you're set on keeping both. Just keep an eye on it. If the "match" repeatedly lasts more than a minute or so or draws any kind of blood, other accommodations may need to be made. Peace in the flock is always best at the end of the day.

 

[Robind15]

How bad are the fights? Incessant? Overly violent? The major key is to have enough space. Roosters routinely spar with each other. Many of these don't amount to much as long as there is enough space for the "loser" to get out of the area and back down. Usually, the big problems happen when the birds are cramped or overcrowded and one male corners the other and more or less beats the tar out of him until he's a bloody mess. 10 weeks is still young for your 26, but that isn't a bad gender ratio. If you've got ample space and ample females, you may be best off letting them duke out their maleness if you're set on keeping both. Just keep an eye on it. If the "match" repeatedly lasts more than a minute or so or draws any kind of blood, other accommodations may need to be made. Peace in the flock is always best at the end of the day.

There were a few fights were I seen happening in the middle of the yard. The yards maybe an acre or 1/2 acre. There’s two big trees my bushes around the house the old 20x30 barn and their 12x24 coop they switch from. This last one I didn’t seen. I found my Brahma hiding in the corner of the old barn With a bloody comb. I just clipped their spurs too as I was worried about the young pullets running around. I cleaned him up and it’s not too bad just scratches and some lost feathers on his head.

My Brahma is older and more gentlemen like to the girls. The Amerucana is young and active. Both still very good.

For awhile the Brahma was king he’d chase the other off and then they both would leave it alone but I don’t think that’s the case anymore. Sadly.

I think I am going to confine my amerucana for a week. He’ll have the young pullets to keep him entertained. Let the Brahma rest and retreat with his ladies.

Does that sound good ?
Maybe over next weekend I could let the amerucana out in the evenings to sit there and watch my flock?

 

[AbL]

I had the same, for 1,5 years both roos got a long fine, one day on the other the youngster decided to pick a fight with the old one.
First I recognized not what happened cause he only stressed out in the coop, outside with much more space the were fine. The old one got very tired and I separated him, thinking he was ill.

I introduced some additional chicks after a couple of days, when the old returned, everything seemed fine for a couple of weeks or so. Then I found both roos literally in a bloody fight, the old one refugeeing in a heap of palets. I separated them, both with their own flock but they kept going at another through the wire mesh. I had to separate with a distance and finally I found a new home for the younger one.

I think once a particular level of agression is passed, it might be difficult to accept another.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Do they all typically sleep in the same coop? Is the run open at night for them to go in whenever they want?

 

[Shadrach]

There were a few fights were I seen happening in the middle of the yard. The yards maybe an acre or 1/2 acre. There’s two big trees my bushes around the house the old 20x30 barn and their 12x24 coop they switch from. This last one I didn’t seen. I found my Brahma hiding in the corner of the old barn With a bloody comb. I just clipped their spurs too as I was worried about the young pullets running around. I cleaned him up and it’s not too bad just scratches and some lost feathers on his head.

My Brahma is older and more gentlemen like to the girls. The Amerucana is young and active. Both still very good.

For awhile the Brahma was king he’d chase the other off and then they both would leave it alone but I don’t think that’s the case anymore. Sadly.

I think I am going to confine my amerucana for a week. He’ll have the young pullets to keep him entertained. Let the Brahma rest and retreat with his ladies.

Does that sound good ?
Maybe over next weekend I could let the amerucana out in the evenings to sit there and watch my flock?

Chickens fight, both males and females. I've had nine males spread over 4 to 5 acres in 4 tribes. They fought every day. They had family fights. They had fights with the other tribes. Chickens resolve many of their disputes by fighting. It's how chickens are.
What you the keeper has to decide is how serious the fights are and what the fights are about. Bleeding combs and wattles, broken spurs, bloody heads are normal. One just has to accept this if one is going to keep chickens.
It reads like you have plenty of room. How much room exactly?
It also reads like you know which hens belong to each rooster, or at least the current preferences of the hens.
You can reduce the conflict by building another coop and moving one tribe to the new coop. Each tribe needs approximately an acre of land to minimize competition over resources.
Despite all the various keeping arrangements one can read about, chickens are tribal creatures by nature and despite what some may have one believe I have seen no evidence that human breeding intervention has changed this basic fact about chickens; they're tribal.

 

[LaFleche]

You could provide a second coop so each male will have their own and the females can choose with which to spend the night.

This has worked for my roosters and they mostly keep to themselves with their respective harem while roaming the same premises having lots of space to avoid confrontation.