Keeping a Bachelor Group of Roosters?

[Mtn Sanctuary]

Hi! I am new to chicken-tending. We got six chicks in April, three black sex-link and three Ameraucanas. Two of the sex-link hens turned out to be roosters, as did two of the Ameraucanas. They have been raised as pets with a lot of human interaction and my kids are very attached to all of them, but now the boys have hit puberty and fights are breaking out. The lowest roo in the pecking order hides all day (they free-range) because otherwise he is relentlessly attacked.

We moved the three other boys to a separate coop in a fenced-off area. I am trying to re-home some, but we don't want them eaten. In the meantime, we are keeping three of the roosters together. I have read conflicting things about the ability to keep a group of roosters together without hens in the mix. Does anyone have experience with this?

Thank you!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join the flock! I've not kept Roos together myself in a bat helper group but it certainly has been done by other members without problems. As there are so many Roos looking for new homes and you don't want them to be eaten or culled this maybe your only option. Please do drop by the chicken behaviours section ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/18/chicken-behaviors-and-egglaying

I'm more than sure other members will be able to help you with plans for your boys. Wishing you the very best of luck in the future. Enjoy BYC and all the chicken chat

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to Backyard chickens. Some people are successful with bachelor pads and some are not. I think it depends on how early you have them penned up and out of sight of any hens. Sooner or later they are going to realize you have hens around and hormones may rage.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! X3, it depends on the individual roosters, many non-game breeds can be kept in bachelor pens without much fuss, the occasional rooster of any breed may be a problem.