Managing Multiple Roosters

[skullgrrrl]

How do folks deal with multiple roosters?

I've had a bantam roo and mostly standard hens for the last 3 years. Two summers ago, I kept a male chick (standard) and everything was ok until the cockerel was @10 months old and he started scrapping with the little guy. The bantam had some damage to his comb; I penned the cockerel for a few days and the minute I let him out he went for the rooster who flew over the 6' fence. I ended up re-homing the cockerel and kept one of his sons who is now almost a year old.

They have just started scrapping this week. Today I found the bantam hiding in the shed. What can I do to keep both of them (in the same pen) without conflict or injury? I have 26 pullets and hens so more than enough to go around.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You obviously can't keep these two together. It's easier to raise 2 together and they often get along, but having just 2 roosters means they only have each other to focus on.

I keep multiple roosters together that occasionally fight, but all my birds are free range and lower roosters can get away and keep their distance. You also could try another bantam, but my bantam roosters are the ones that fight occasionally, where my large breed never do.

 

[skullgrrrl]

I hatched the cockerel and he's been raised with the bantam rooster for almost a year. I know people who have a smaller roo to hen ratio than I do with multiple roosters of different sizes (from Jersey Giants to OEGs) with no fighting. Their guys weren't raised together but seem to get along ok. I want to keep them both without any worries of injury.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You could remove him for a few months. This time of year hormones are surging in roosters. Keep him penned within the flock. He needs to mature and calm down. Than you could try releasing him in late fall to early winter when hormones are at the lowest. I do this all the time with young obnoxious roosters. All have turned out to be great roosters after allowing to mature some.

Another option is to allow them to fight it out and work it out. As long as the loser can get away it should be fine. Penned birds can kill each other.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

I agree with oldhenslikedog.Youmay wanna let them fight it out but watch closely.

Ine thing I can say is not all raised roos get along.I had two raised brothers try and kill eachother.