Keeping 2 cockerels together

[Momhen]

I have 4 chicks - 2 cockerels & 2 hens - that are 9 weeks old. When I eventually add the hens into the main flock, can I keep the 2 cockerels together in a separate chicken coop/run or will they fight? The cockerels would be kept in a coop in the front yard and the rest of the flock are in the back yard in a large chicken run.

 

[greenegglover]

You can try but roo's need about 10 hens apiece for a rule of good measure. Too many people post about hurt hens from roo's over mating with them. Just advice not a professional....oh im slow...

Roo's together.....may have a fight till the death....never had 2 together!

 

[eggchel]

Ive kept some cockerels or roos together without problems. But it definitely works best if you start them young. They will develop their own hierarchy and there may be occasional skirmishes. However, there are some roos that just wont get along no matter how long they are together and they will try to kill each other.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Since they were raised together they'll get along fine.

It's when you put male birds that don't already know each other together that you can potentially run into problems.

But even then it usually works itself out after a bit of squabbling.

Except for two cock birds in the henyard all of my boys are kept in separate bachelor quarters. When I put new birds in there's going to be a few days to a week of squabbling until they get it all sorted out. Occasionally I'll get one that just can't let it be and he soon ships out. I have a young EE rooster like that out there now. He's leaving tomorrow so I can put some new boys in.

 

[Momhen]

Our original 3 birds were pets for my 10 year old and he wasn't too happy when we thought we'd have to cull the extra cockerels from hatched chicks! When I told him we could probably keep them together he got a BIG smile! Tnanx for the info and for making my son smile!

 

[phoenix2011]

I have not had many problems with boys who grow up together, like everyone is saying. I have 1 speckled Sussex, and a group of 4 month old Orpingtons (blue, black & Lavender) and for the first time I actually WANT multiple roosters so I can breed my own blues - There are no 100% guarantees though. They are all different and sometimes you run across a particularly aggressive rooster who just won't relent. I love my babies so I am hoping to be able to have a fairly peaceful coop!

 

[Momhen]

I've put the chicks in with the adults and there has been no squabbling! The mother hen - who was separated from the chicks for just 3 days - was the only one who pecked at the chicks at all; and even then it wasn't anything major. The cockerel seemed a bit bemused by the chicks and today had a stare down with one of the roos until the roo finally gave in and looked away. They aren't really integrating; the chicks stay together on one side of the run and the adults hang out together on the other side. i guess it'll just be a little time before they start mingling. It's been great to sit in the run with my cup of tea and watch them all. I love it!