Many Roos - One Flock - How do you keep roos together?

[ChickenMonk320]

I have read in one or two posts about folks that have a "rooster pen." How do you keep several roos in a pen without them tearing at eachother?
We are thinking about keeping several different strains of chickens - BC Marans, blue egg laying EEs, Cuckoo Marans a Welsummer or two, some barred plymoth rocks and some other general brown eggers - and want to keep some of the strains pure while at the same time making olive eggers, dark brown egging sex links and general brown laying sex links.
My theory is either to have seperate rooms and runs in one house or have one pen for the roos, one for the hens and introduce the roo of choice for the cross wanted.
Any thoughts?
Keep up all the good work people!

 

[Mahonri]

The roos should develop a pecking order and if there are no hens to fight over they should settle down.

I've always felt that the very best way to keep roos together is the freezer.

By the way:

 

[ChickenMonk320]

That was my next question; do I need to keep the roos seperate as in "can't see the girls no more" or will seperate pens next to eachother work?

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

If you raise them together from the same age (lets say, from a chick) they tend to get along much better. However, don't ever, ever, take one out of the flock. When you put him back in, they will fight to restablish pecking order.

 

[melissastraka]

i have a roo coop and a hen house separated by chain link and the boys dont fight at all. they can see the hens but it has never been a problem. they are 4months and were all raised together too. (they are going to the crockpot next weekend)

 

[nzpouter]

The trick is space and keeping more than 2 roos together. We run all our roos together in the off season (when they are deep in moult) then separate them by breed/ colour during breeding season. There will be scuffles but these are minor.

note, no game roos involved in those breed.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

In my experience it seems to depend on the individual roosters. I've kept different groups of roos together while they grow big enough for the table. Some of them get along nicely, others will fuss & fight. And some groups pick one roo to be everyone's "Girlfriend"...

 

[onthespot]

another good way to keep roos together is in little plastic bags in the freezer.

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

Quote:

 

[AHappychick]

you know I have been wondering this myself. so you can house them together but cant pull one out for a day or so for breeding with out them fighting the roo that got "lucky" that day????