How to tell normal pecking order efforts from serious issues between two young cockerels/roosters?

[bayareapilot]

Doesn't happen often (at least I don't think so - but I am not around all day) , but every now and then (infrequently) I'll hear a squawk from one of my cockerels. i look closely at him and see no obvious injury or bleeding; but it started me thinking (since I've never had cockerels/roosters before now) will it be obvious to me that things between them aren't going normally BEFORE someone really gets hurt. the two cockerels are 19 weeks old as of today and for the most part they seem to get along okay.s

Looking for tips on things to look for BEFORE someone gets seriously hurt? Is what I am seeing so far just a case of one establishing dominance and are things okay so far??? Just don't have any experience with cockerels/roosters to know?

Thanks in advance for any insights you can provide.

 

[Dec17]

How much space do they have and how many hens do they have between them because there just coming to the age of maturity and if they have plenty of space and 10 or so hens between them they should get on fine like you say they are trying to find pecking order but if you don’t have enough hens for them to claim as there own they will end up killing each other and if they have space and plenty of hens once pecking order is sorted they should get on fine

 

[bayareapilot]

How much space do they have and how many hens do they have between them because there just coming to the age of maturity and if they have plenty of space and 10 or so hens between them they should get on fine like you say they are trying to find pecking order but if you don’t have enough hens for them to claim as there own they will end up killing each other and if they have space and plenty of hens once pecking order is sorted they should get on fine

They have plenty of space and they're all separate, that is the cockrells happy space all of their own - totally separate and visually and otherwise from the hens and in a totally separate part of the garden.

most of what I've read and what I've learned here is bachelor roosters that grew up together can get along just fine as long as they're just together with the large amount of space. For them that's about an open run area, just the two of them, of about 15 by 35 ft which is more than enough room.

6 months is the point that most tell me it's the point to keep an eye on things, but most everyone has assured me that generally, it should work out okay.

So far so good. was really just looking for general tips on behavior just to make sure everything was working out okay for the two of them.

 

[aart]

"How to tell normal pecking order efforts from serious issues between two young cockerels/roosters?"
Short answer.....the amount of blood.

Curious as to the reason to keep them both?

 

[bayareapilot]

"How to tell normal pecking order efforts from serious issues between two young cockerels/roosters?"
Short answer.....the amount of blood.

Curious as to the reason to keep them both?

Your first response NOT Helpful!!!!

Second question.... if your wife was planning on a single baby and ended up with twins,,, what would YOU do? You'd do the best to manage the new unexpected event.

I was dealt these cards when my 90 percent pullet run turned out to be 50 percent. I'm trying to do the darndest I can to do right by them. Surprise, surprise I actually give a rats ass about any animal I take into my care as a pet. I try to do my best for them and don't view them as disposable.

With all the frustrating nonsense that is going on in California right now the LAST (!!!!!!!!!!!) thing I needed was a series of unhelpful and stressful replies in the first two replies I got.

If you DON'T have any suggestions on the encouraging end I DON'T want to hear them.

Sheesh, folks. I come here for a place of calm in the midst of the stupid viral hysteria. I'm self-employed and our SFB governor here in California just closed down nearly all businesses in the state with a shelter-in-place, there goes my income . For crying out loud, I'm trying to take some solace in caring for my chickens,, I didn't need the last two replies I got.

 

[Ridgerunner]

With living animals you don't get guarantees. We can tell you what is most likely to happen or what we expect but things don't always go as we expect. Most of the time cockerels raised together in a bachelor pad get long fine. They will sort out a pecking order but so will pullets raised together with no cockerels around. Often this is very peaceful but occasionally it can get rough, whether they are all pullets or all cockerels.

Each individual pullet or cockerel matures at its own rate. They sure cannot read a calendar. I typically raise around 20 or so pullets and cockerels together with the flock with my first hatch, then mix more in later as hens go broody and hatch. I'm in a totally different situation than you, cockerels and pullets together and them various ages, plus adults mixed in. With one exception they don't kill each other.

One time I bought 20 cockerels as baby chicks and raised them with the flock. When they were about 15 weeks old one took an intense dislike to another specific cockerel and killed it. That was it, that killer cockerel got along with the other cockerels. Oh, they had their dominance fights but none go hurt. Those fights were no more serious than any other year. I've seen a lot of cockerel fights over the years but that is the only one that I've seen where there was even a serious injury. I eat mine around 23 weeks, that's why I raise chickens, for the meat. If I kept them longer my story would probably change. I'm telling this story to show you really don't get guarantees with living animals, things don't always work out as we expect.

Your situation is different from mine. With two cockerels and two pullets you are probably wise to separate them. I think that gives you the greatest odds of success from what I think are your goals. From what you describe with those random squawks it sounds like they are establishing a pecking order. The dominant one is surprising the submissive one with a peck. The submissive one accepts it and does not fight back. It's pretty peaceful way of establishing the pecking order.

Since they do mature at different rates it is possible the submissive one will mature to a point it will challenge the other for dominance. This may never happen but it may. If it does you'll see them squaring off, facing each other and trying it claw or peck each other. It gets pretty furious for a short bit. It's possible one could get hurt, they really are trying to hurt each other. What practically always happens with mine is that really quickly one decides it is better off running away instead of fighting. There may be a repeat performance or two but they've pretty much decided who is dominant. I'll repeat, other than that one time, I've never had a cockerel seriously injured during this phase and that is with pullets present. Other people have had different experiences. You don't get guarantees.

How can you tell it will get serious? You can't until you see an injury. If you interrupt them before it is settled they will settle it later.

In your situation with no girls to fight over it is highly unlikely they will get serious at all. Highly unlikely but I can't give guarantees. I also can't guarantee that you won't see worse between your two pullets as they determine which is dominant.

 

[aart]

Your first response NOT Helpful!!!!

Was tongue in cheek facetious sarcasm....should have added a smiley wink
Would that have helped?
Levity saves lives.

Second question.... if your wife was planning on a single baby and ended up with twins,,, what would YOU do? You'd do the best to manage the new unexpected event.

Comparing humans to chickens is ridiculous...I eat all extra cock/erels, very useful here.

 

[sylviethecochin]

if you don’t have enough hens for them to claim as there own they will end up killing each other

Unless you raise games, that's highly unlikely.

Roosters can co-exist pretty easily—it's the pullets that get the worst end of the deal, as the young cockerels will often gang up together to rape them.

 

[jimhand77]

In my experience over the last year or so I am somewhat of a newbie to raising chickens. I unfortunately bought a flock of Silkies to mix in with my flock and ended up with 6 Silkies Roos. I also have 2 Light Abrams Roos and 4 Olive egger Roos and 1 mixed Roo. And only 48 Hens. They all got along a few fights here and there some blood no death fights. I have separated the 6 Silkies and the mixed Roo as they were rough on my hens. But all them Roos got along great even roosted together side by side. They live in a 16x22 coop with a 50x100 ish run into the wood line and yard. All these Roos are all various ages. Yes I keep Roos for earning my hens and I hatch some of my own eggs for myself and family. Hope this helps!!

 

[bayareapilot]

With living animals you don't get guarantees. We can tell you what is most likely to happen or what we expect but things don't always go as we expect. Most of the time cockerels raised together in a bachelor pad get long fine. They will sort out a pecking order but so will pullets raised together with no cockerels around. Often this is very peaceful but occasionally it can get rough, whether they are all pullets or all cockerels.

Each individual pullet or cockerel matures at its own rate. They sure cannot read a calendar. I typically raise around 20 or so pullets and cockerels together with the flock with my first hatch, then mix more in later as hens go broody and hatch. I'm in a totally different situation than you, cockerels and pullets together and them various ages, plus adults mixed in. With one exception they don't kill each other.

One time I bought 20 cockerels as baby chicks and raised them with the flock. When they were about 15 weeks old one took an intense dislike to another specific cockerel and killed it. That was it, that killer cockerel got along with the other cockerels. Oh, they had their dominance fights but none go hurt. Those fights were no more serious than any other year. I've seen a lot of cockerel fights over the years but that is the only one that I've seen where there was even a serious injury. I eat mine around 23 weeks, that's why I raise chickens, for the meat. If I kept them longer my story would probably change. I'm telling this story to show you really don't get guarantees with living animals, things don't always work out as we expect.

Your situation is different from mine. With two cockerels and two pullets you are probably wise to separate them. I think that gives you the greatest odds of success from what I think are your goals. From what you describe with those random squawks it sounds like they are establishing a pecking order. The dominant one is surprising the submissive one with a peck. The submissive one accepts it and does not fight back. It's pretty peaceful way of establishing the pecking order.

Since they do mature at different rates it is possible the submissive one will mature to a point it will challenge the other for dominance. This may never happen but it may. If it does you'll see them squaring off, facing each other and trying it claw or peck each other. It gets pretty furious for a short bit. It's possible one could get hurt, they really are trying to hurt each other. What practically always happens with mine is that really quickly one decides it is better off running away instead of fighting. There may be a repeat performance or two but they've pretty much decided who is dominant. I'll repeat, other than that one time, I've never had a cockerel seriously injured during this phase and that is with pullets present. Other people have had different experiences. You don't get guarantees.

How can you tell it will get serious? You can't until you see an injury. If you interrupt them before it is settled they will settle it later.

In your situation with no girls to fight over it is highly unlikely they will get serious at all. Highly unlikely but I can't give guarantees. I also can't guarantee that you won't see worse between your two pullets as they determine which is dominant.

Thank u so much!