Integrating two roosters in quarantine

[TwistedTayy]

Ok so I went to a poultry show and got two pairs of OEGB from two different breeders. I originally tried to get one hen from one of the pairs to have as a trio but he wanted them to go as a pair for the price I was willing to pay for one. Whatever. Anyways, the roosters fought within 30 secs of putting them together in the quarantine coop I had set up (TSC Sentinel set up in my carport 100+ ft from my flock). Obviously I can’t leave them unattended that way so I purchased the cheapest coop I could find on Amazon which will be delivered Tuesday. It just has to last for the quarantine period as I have lots of spaces in my flock area. I will also be converting a huge shed into a multi pen coop with individual runs for breeding pens/grow outs etc.

My plan (that I kind of just want some confirmation/suggestions on) is that I will rotate them between the run and coop every 8 ours so that each night will alternate the pair in the coop. Both sections have water but I only put food in the run. I will also put in some grit. I also put a 5gal bucket on its side with hay in it to sleep in. Neither pair is interested in the roosting bars but I think they are only just reaching maturity. My two d’uccle pullets roost in the day but cuddle in nesting boxes.

Is there anything else I should be doing? Or any alternatives? Is there any way I could train them to be better with each other? I’m going to put the new coop beside the other to do integration.

 

[DobieLover]

Ok so I went to a poultry show and got two pairs of OEGB from two different breeders. I originally tried to get one hen from one of the pairs to have as a trio but he wanted them to go as a pair for the price I was willing to pay for one. Whatever. Anyways, the roosters fought within 30 secs of putting them together in the quarantine coop I had set up (TSC Sentinel set up in my carport 100+ ft from my flock). Obviously I can’t leave them unattended that way so I purchased the cheapest coop I could find on Amazon which will be delivered Tuesday. It just has to last for the quarantine period as I have lots of spaces in my flock area. I will also be converting a huge shed into a multi pen coop with individual runs for breeding pens/grow outs etc.

My plan (that I kind of just want some confirmation/suggestions on) is that I will rotate them between the run and coop every 8 ours so that each night will alternate the pair in the coop. Both sections have water but I only put food in the run. I will also put in some grit. I also put a 5gal bucket on its side with hay in it to sleep in. Neither pair is interested in the roosting bars but I think they are only just reaching maturity. My two d’uccle pullets roost in the day but cuddle in nesting boxes.

Is there anything else I should be doing? Or any alternatives? Is there any way I could train them to be better with each other? I’m going to put the new coop beside the other to do integration.

I don't think you will ever be able to co-house two GAME bantam cockerels/roosters. They will not stop fighting.
If you don't house them separately, plan on finding bloody birds regularly and more than likely one dead and one very injured.
If you do house them separately, you will also need to take into consideration fence fighting and the damage they can do to themselves if they can get close enough to each other try to have a go a fighting through the fence.

 

[3KillerBs]

I don't think you will ever be able to co-house two GAME bantam cockerels/roosters. They will not stop fighting.

Agreed.

These birds were bred over hundreds or thousands of generations to fight. It's in their nature and can't be altered.

 

[Mrs. K]

You really only wanted one rooster, cull the other one. It may seem kind of heartless, but it is better than cock fights, and while flipping birds in and out sounds easy enough, what I have found is they become very contrary to doing it, and becomes a huge fight with you and them every day.

Always solve for peace in the flock, all that fight upsets all the birds. I agree with the other two posters, this really is not going to work.

Mrs K

 

[ChickenLeg]

Oegb can be housed in pretty small areas for pairs, if they werent raised together they might not ever get along but after quarantine is over Id try putting them together again, if they have a good amount of space they might chase each other a bit and fight but they might work it out.

OEGB are not like gamebirds, they tend to be pretty docile but you can have a mean line like with any breed. All the growouts will grow up fine together and the males typically get along from the ones Ive had.

I personally wouldnt go through the hassle of rotating them, Ive housed pairs in 18x18" cages during breeding season and they do fine. So if you can make a small 3x3' area for each pair theyll do fine, oegb are so small they dont need much room at all to be happy

 

[TwistedTayy]

You really only wanted one rooster, cull the other one. It may seem kind of heartless, but it is better than cock fights, and while flipping birds in and out sounds easy enough, what I have found is they become very contrary to doing it, and becomes a huge fight with you and them every day.

Always solve for peace in the flock, all that fight upsets all the birds. I agree with the other two posters, this really is not going to work.

Mrs K

Well I’ve already bought a second coop to use, so it’ll just be for a couple more days. Then, like I said I’ll have plenty of room once quarantine is done to keep them separated. I was just wondering if there was something I wasn’t thinking of.

I’m not averse to culling. I have others to cull before I start on these for sure lol. But two pairs works out for starting out and practicing breeding for shows and stuff. We have a backyard chicken flock from a hatchery that free ranges with our ducks and geese but any that we add from now on will be from these pairs or shows.

 

[TwistedTayy]

Oegb can be housed in pretty small areas for pairs, if they werent raised together they might not ever get along but after quarantine is over Id try putting them together again, if they have a good amount of space they might chase each other a bit and fight but they might work it out.

OEGB are not like gamebirds, they tend to be pretty docile but you can have a mean line like with any breed. All the growouts will grow up fine together and the males typically get along from the ones Ive had.

I personally wouldnt go through the hassle of rotating them, Ive housed pairs in 18x18" cages during breeding season and they do fine. So if you can make a small 3x3' area for each pair theyll do fine, oegb are so small they dont need much room at all to be happy

Lol yeah they are itty bitty but as someone that likes to freerange birds, I’d like them to have more sunlight hours and likewise a nice comfy spot to sleep. Haha that may be more for me but even so. The two appear to be a cock (black) and “older” cockerel (splash; his voice is still cracking during crows) so I’d honestly be happy if I can just get them to a point where they aren’t fence fighting and I can figure out and easier housing situation. Once I finalized plans for my shed conversion I’ll probably need help with that but I imagine their needs are similar to quail. But I won’t start construction on that until feb, and yet I still have plenty of space in the fowl yard…. Just not quarantine. Lesson learned.

 

[ChickenLeg]

Chicken tractors work great too for bantams! I got rid of all my oegb except my son's crele hen. She lives with my white ameraucana bantams