I'm a newbie and I'd like some advice.

[karlyjordan86]

They need some hens, you might have to give one of your roos to a fellow chicken friend. They will most likely fight! Chickens are pretty social creatures, they need friends.

 

[hdowden]

you can safely keep two cocks together just fine with no hens. i have a pen of nothing but cocks they fight occasionally but so would a pen of hens its called the pecking order.

 

[Basskids08]

you can safely keep two cocks together just fine with no hens. i have a pen of nothing but cocks they fight occasionally but so would a pen of hens its called the pecking order.

X2

 

[hdowden]

heck my pen of roos fight less than my breeding pens lol

 

[karlyjordan86]

It's your preference. I just think my roos have been happier having hens versus when they didn't. I've had two roos together without hens and those two got along great, but then again, I've had a couple roos together that have gone at it constantly (one resulting in a missing eyeball), so I've always kept a certain amount of hens per roo. But then again, maybe the hens are causing the problems

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Roos are fine to keep unless your city prohibits them. Then, you will have to get rid of them and get hens. But, like everyone else is saying, roos can live together fine; especially if they were raised together.

 

[chooks4life]

I try to allow them as much sun as possible. I was just out of town for a week and it rained the entire time I was gone so they really didn't get much of a chance to go out. They were little Easter abuse victims and were a little ratty when I got them. I have been adding vitamins and ACV to their water which has definitely helped.

I suspected there was a bad background lurking in their story. Shame. At least now they have moved on to somewhere better. Babies don't get so ratty without some serious errors in husbandry, generally speaking. Some of which errors are made in all good intention, too.

These are the only two chickens I have. Is that a bad thing if they are both cockerels?

As others have said, males can get along just fine. But it depends mainly on them. Being raised together they will most likely get along, and some males if kept only with males will show homosexual behavior, but they could also end up with one showing extreme aggression to the other. There are no guarantees either way, just likelihoods. It's likely they will have a few fights, which is normal, even hens do it, and it's likely they will get along.

Of course they will do better if you have at least two hens as well. The least developed male you have is the natural beta rooster, so if there are two hens he may still end up with none. If you get no hens, he's the most likely one to end up playing the role of the hen or being attacked. For whatever reason he is not at the same level of development as the other male, but you will see this in every clutch no matter how healthily they are raised and how well-bred they are, it's not necessarily a sign of bad diet or abuse. Sometimes the only difference will be the tint of red; cherry-red being seen in dominant males and tomato-red in subordinates, with all other levels of development indicators being equal.

Personally I found bantams of many types to be the most instinctive birds I have owned in chicken breeds, and their quality of life hinged to a large degree on them having mates. Male or female my banties notice an absence of the opposite sex and do not appreciate it. Larger breeds, specifically those raised for meat or eggs alone, don't usually mind either way and may even appreciate having a single gender flock more than having a mixed one.

Best wishes with them.

 

[Chirps]

Here is another view of Chirps. The lighting in that room gives everything an orange tint to it. I keep meaning to change the bulb but haven't remembered any of the 2 million times I've been in the store. This is what I see when I look at Chirps.

Also, I do plan on adding hens to my coop. The bigger coop and yard is being built and once it is, I'll be adding several hens. I guess I was more worried about my window of opportunity here. They both absolutely love each other and one will hardly let me hold the other without yelling at me the entire time. I definitely love these birds and would be totally heartbroken if I had to get rid of one of them.

 

[hdowden]

i raise these they are both cockerels. you do not have to get rid of one of them. the bird in my profile pic is the golden neck version of the d'uccle. i also have porcelain, self blue, and the milli

 

[Chirps]

Beautiful babies! Well, it's good to know what they finally are.

They are outside sunning right now and hopefully we can restore some luster to them. They do look a bit ratty, but they used to be so much worse. Fingers crossed that I can help them turn into the pretty boys I know they are!