Keeping 2 Roosters?

[Christina.Rich]

Hi all,

I'm new to chickens, and I am learning something new every day by being a part of this awesome group. Today, I have what's probably a very dumb question to ask all of you and that question is:


Can I keep 2 roosters?

I ask because I have had a Serama rooster and a bantam cochin rooster. I just recently got the cochin this past weekend and they don't seem to get along. Many stare downs and fighting between the two of them.

I have about 20 mixed breed hens in my flock. My coop itself is quite large, and the outside run is 15' x 32' so its quite a large space for them to hang.

I thought there was a 1:8 ratio for roosters, but I believe I failed to do enough research on keeping two roosters.

What experience do you have in keeping roosters together? Is it possible? Will they eventually get along?

Right now I have them separated, but its kind of a pain because I rotate them daily to be able to come out. 1/2 the day the cochin is locked in the coop, and the other 1/2 of the day he is out and vice versa with the serama roo.

I really want to keep both though as they both have adorable personalities and I just love hearing them crow. I also want to at some point get 1-2 more bantam cochin roosters as I want to start breeding them in the near future but just want to have a game plan. Problem is, I have no idea what I'm doing apparently.

 

[sourland]

When raised together, multiple roosters in a flock generally know their 'place' and can coexist. Introducing a rooster to a flock with an established rooster is another story. The existing rooster will want to be boss, and the new rooster will want to take over. It's all about the DNA. Generally multiple pens for multiple roosters works best. Free ranging tends to mitigate many problems of having multiple roosters in the flock as they are more able to stay away from one another. Good luck.

 

[Christina.Rich]

When raised together, multiple roosters in a flock generally know their 'place' and can coexist. Introducing a rooster to a flock with an established rooster is another story. The existing rooster will want to be boss, and the new rooster will want to take over. It's all about the DNA. Generally multiple pens for multiple roosters works best. Free ranging tends to mitigate many problems of having multiple roosters in the flock as they are more able to stay away from one another. Good luck.

@Aji Dulce looks like you have more of a likely change of your roos being able to co-exist more than mine!

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Sometimes it is very difficult to intergrate to grown roosters together.I usually raise just two together usually,and if I ever have two together they have usually been raised as chicks together or one was a baby and grew up around the other,usually works out a lot better.Both if those breed of roosters you have are pretty laid back and friendly.It is possible to keep two.Maybe keep the news run a Seperate pen for a few weeks ,fighting will happen,letting them fight will be your best bet unless it’s causing ripped combs and waddles,eyelids and any serious gushing of blood begins.

 

[alexa009]

I have never kept two roosters together but my friends have and sometimes it can be a tragedy and sometimes not. Roosters will fight until there is a dominant one and that one will try to keep the other one from mating.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sorry but your run isn't all that big for two roosters, even if they are bantam. It may work out for you or it may not, but the ideal space for multiple roosters is where they can get out of sight of each other. Some can handle that better than others though.

What normally happens when you introduce two relatively mature roosters is that they fight. Not sure what ages yours are but that can make a difference. A mature rooster will dominate an immature cockerel but that can change later when the cockerel matures.

They may fight to the death. They may determine which is boss and which is subordinate, then work together to take care of the flock. Often each gets a certain territory and a harem and just go their separate ways. That's where extra room comes in. If they are fairly evenly matched, more in spirit than size, the fights can go on for a while and there can be several rematches. If one shows himself to be superior, the loser usually decides he needs to run away instead of fight. There can be some chasing and maybe even a rematch or two but usually they work it out. Again, they need enough room to run away and avoid each other. Another possibility is that one is so much stronger than the other that it decides to kill the weaker one. It instinctively knows it does not want those genes anywhere around the gene pool. No amount of running or avoiding will help.

With your space it is possible they will duke it out, earn a mutual respect, and share that space OK. It's possible they will not. There is only one way to find out. Good luck!

 

[Peeps61]

I have two roosters, but one is most definitely the superior and the other simply runs away. The younger rooster is the son of the older rooster, so he was raised in the flock. He has a few hens for himself, and the other rooster has the rest. They are free ranged, so the younger one runs away rather than facing off with the older rooster. The older rooster makes sure that the younger rooster stays away when he is around. It can work out, but be careful. You may want to look at separate pens for each of them if you don't want to free range them. Even then, locking them up at night can be problematic unless you have two separate arrangements for them.

 

[obicat]

Please take the serama out! They are tiny but incredibly feisty and due to their size will come off worst. There isnt much point having a serama cock in a mixed flock anyway. Mine cant even do the deed with my bantam silkies and they are too small to be any use against hawkes etc.

Separate him out and make another run for him and a couple of seram ladies. Mine live in a huge run but are equally happy in a rabbit hutch and 6 foot run

 

[Christina.Rich]

Please take the serama out! They are tiny but incredibly feisty and due to their size will come off worst. There isnt much point having a serama cock in a mixed flock anyway. Mine cant even do the deed with my bantam silkies and they are too small to be any use against hawkes etc.

Separate him out and make another run for him and a couple of seram ladies. Mine live in a huge run but are equally happy in a rabbit hutch and 6 foot run

It’s ironic you say that, because as I was out doing yard work today the two roosters somehow got at each other when I wasn’t looking and guess who was the one with a small bloody gash on his comb... the Cochin! That little Serama IS feisty!

The reason I do have him is because I bought a trio of seramas. I will probably end up just giving them separate areas of the run.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

When raised together, multiple roosters in a flock generally know their 'place' and can coexist....

I don't think that coexist is the right concept. Two roosters of more or less equal physical powers will eventually square off when one or the other of them thinks that he is being unfairly deprived of the benefits of female companionship. When that happens the battle is on and it may eventually result in the deaths or blinding of both roosters.