How to reintegrate injured boss rooster back into flock

[Alilbit88]

The big rooster has been away from the flock for 10 days. He was walking wobbly and couldn’t keep balance. Happened practically overnight. Not sure what happened but I was in the hospital for 2 days. Not sure if human caused the injury or he ate something bad. There is a tiny other rooster in the flock who was submissive before and they got along fine. However when I tried to put boss rooster back in today they were fighting. Little tiny rooster has blood on his combs. Little tiny rooster is adorable but probably could get his butt kicked and should give up.but they kept going at it. Now I have put the boss rooster in a rabbit hutch inside the chicken run. Any ideas how to integrate him back in? Should I let them fight to sort it out? Or separate them. I know sanctuaries that rescue fighting roosters have a process they go through. It takes a while and u really have to separate them once they start fighting. Over and over again until they learn to stop. Anyone with any experience or advice on how to handle? They got along very well before and it’s sad to see them fighting.

To make it harder on me, this is a “community” employee housing property and no one has time to care for the chickens except me and I don’t live on the property.

 

[Yardmom]

I personally let my roos battle it out since every time a bird is pulled out the pecking order needs reset . This only works if there is plenty of space and one of the roos is willing to allow the other to win and the winner allows the other to pull away. It unfortunately takes a few squabbles before things settle down.
In your situation it may be necessary to pull them apart with the size difference. Can you keep them in a see no touch situation to see if it helps?

 

[sourland]

I would separate out the smaller rooster and allow the larger rooster back. I would let him readjust back to the flock and regain strength before releasing the smaller rooster. Hopefully the larger can regain command of the flock and things will go back as they were. The smaller will not readily relinquish his position.

 

[Alilbit88]

I personally let my roos battle it out since every time a bird is pulled out the pecking order needs reset . This only works if there is plenty of space and one of the roos is willing to allow the other to win and the winner allows the other to pull away. It unfortunately takes a few squabbles before things settle down.
In your situation it may be necessary to pull them apart with the size difference. Can you keep them in a see no touch situation to see if it helps?

Yes I have separated them . I posted the pics. How long to separate them for?

 

[Alilbit88]

I would separate out the smaller rooster and allow the larger rooster back. I would let him readjust back to the flock and regain strength before releasing the smaller rooster. Hopefully the larger can regain command of the flock and things will go back as they were. The smaller will not readily relinquish his position.

Have u done this before and so u think it will work?

 

[sourland]

Have u done this before and so u think it will work?

A 'deposed' bird has his hormonal level impacted (lowered) by a dominant individual. The larger rooster is probably compromised physically after his illness. If deposed, he may never regain his mojo. If healthy he may defeat the smaller rooster (they will fight for sure), and they MAY go back to the original flock dynamic - or they may not. It's all about the roosters trying to assure that their DNA carries on.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I know sanctuaries that rescue fighting roosters have a process they go through. It takes a while and u really have to separate them once they start fighting. Over and over again until they learn to stop.

FYI: Gamecocks can't be taught how to stop fighting. It's bred deep into their genetics through selective breeding. They're bred to have a heightened territorial response, & often have a higher testosterone level. This is the reason they must be kept separated from each other.


When I end up disrupting the pecking order by treating a bird, or adding a new bird, I let mine duke it out, but only interfere when necessary.

 

[Alilbit88]

I would separate out the smaller rooster and allow the larger rooster back. I would let him readjust back to the flock and regain strength before releasing the smaller rooster. Hopefully the larger can regain command of the flock and things will go back as they were. The smaller will not readily relinquish his position.

Should I keep the small one in the chicken run but separated? Or should I remove him and take him out of sight for a week at my house?

 

[Mrs. K]

Really, as you are not living there, I would decide which one I am going to keep, and which one is going to go.

You might get lucky but you might not either. I just don't like tension in the flock, and solve for peaceful flock. I don't think it is that great of life if they are fighting for either bird.

Mrs K

 

[Alilbit88]

So update. After about 3 1/2 weeks I was able to stop the 2 roosters from fighting! and they are getting along fine just like before. I separated them, as @sourland suggested, I put the injured rooster out while putting the smaller one in the enclosure by himself. That’s where he sleeps. And where he is until I let him out. He gets his own food/treats/water/heating pad after but can see the other chickens. I let them all out during the day with supervision and stop them after Everytime they fight. And separate them in “time out”. I put the little one back in the larger run.or take turns. And let little one run out and separated bigger (previously injured) one bc he’s allowed in the run and sleeping in the coop. I did it over and over and over everyday multiple times a day. Some days they would fight after a few mins, after 30 mins. After a few hours. Some day not at all but would go back to fighting the next day. The bigger Maran never wanted to fight the small one, the small one is the one who chases after him and starts fighting with him. Finally when I saw them not fighting all day, more consistently, the smaller rooster looking probably sad and wanted to sleep in the coop again with the flock, I just let him sleep in the coop overnight. I checked in the morning. After that no more fighting. Next day let him sleep in the coop again, no more fighting. So it is possible to get 2 roosters to stop fighting if you have the patience! It took me less than 4 weeks, and also bc they got along fine before, and the temperament of the bigger rooster. Hope this could help someone

Note: another contributing factor is after 1 day of letting the smaller rooster go back in the coop at night, I did take his favorite hen home bc she had a sour crop. So I think that might have been a contributing factor that made him quit fighting completely. Bc I think he was jealous of the bigger rooster mating with her. Lol. When I took her away he had stopped. I bright her back after about 4 days but everything is still fine.