Little Roos fighting

[Nor-Cal Chickens]

So I have 11 little Mosaic birds that are a little over 2 months old. Usually when they’re out and about in the yard they have little pecking order fights among what I’m believing are the roosters. Today two kept going at each other for a while on several occasions....no big deal. Then later on two were teaming up on one and left him with swollen spots in the facial area. What should I do? I separated him for the night but unsure how to proceed from here.

 

[Nor-Cal Chickens]

Thanks in advance for all replies and help. I’m new to the backyard chicken scene and really enjoying it but have much to learn.

 

[tn_artist]

Bumping. I'm sure someone who can help will be along shortly. Different groups of members tend to have a routine of when they check the site.

 

[Nor-Cal Chickens]

 

[Nor-Cal Chickens]

Bump, please advise on how to proceed

 

[ShannonR]

How many do you believe are male?
How much space do they have?

These guys are pretty young to be fighting. The usual answer is to reduce the rooster population, I don't really know what to tell you until you know if they are male or female.

Is everyone healthy? Often birds will single out sick or lame flock members and beat them up.

 

[Nor-Cal Chickens]

I believe there could possibly be around 4-5 males

They’re free ranging all afternoon but they like to hang out in my patio that’s 20x60, although they stay within a 10x10 area for some reason.

They’re all healthy and active but then this particular one got marks and then two started to gang up on it.

 

[ShannonR]

What kind of marks, could you post a picture please?

 

[microchick]

Little roosters are going to fight. That is their way of obtaining dominance. Dominance = breeding rights as far as the hens are concerned. I have 5 little OEGB Silver Duck Winged bantams that my hens hatched this past summer. Two are small, overall, in size than the other three but I've caught one of the smaller ones doing his best to beat up one of the bigger ones the other day. Nothing came of it other than a good laugh but it's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt and in this case there is no exception.

Separating them is going to only make things worse when you try to merge the one you've pulled back into the flock. Roosters will look at it as being a newcomer that must be conquered.

If you want to keep your boys, a rooster pen where they are not seeing the pullets or better yet, even hearing them will settle them down. Still they will squabble for dominance. Once the pecking order is obtained tho, things will settle down.

If you plan to rehome extra cockerels now might be the time to consider it. Otherwise you will be supervising the little devils day and night until the hormones settle down,.....in like three years if I'm any judge of my roosters's behavior.

 

[DobieLover]

Can you please post pictures of all of your birds? Four to five cockerels in a flock of 11 is going to spell disaster when these boys hit puberty. All but one should be removed if you are new to chickens. But first, we need to confirm they are actually cockerels.
Did you buy them as straight run chicks or hatch them from eggs?