multiple roosters

[chickletranch]

We have 5 roosters and 28 hens. Most of the time, they go their separate ways (they all free range) but occasionally one of the roos will play "wing man" to another roo and be tolerated. The boss roo changes constantly...it's hard to keep track. One month it's Zeus, the next month it's Romeo. Seems to depend on how many hens flock to one or the other. We do have squabbles which usually result in alittle blood on the comb or a swollen eyelid, but we've never had any serious injuries so far. It's very important to have enough hens to go around if you have muliple roos, otherwise the hens will pay the price. Cheers, Lynn

 

[c_soto1990]

thanks for the feed back guys, I feel alot better. Now would you keep a 6 in tall serama pair with 3 silkies, japanese bantam roo and game hen. They are with the silkie chicks now since they are about the same size.

 

[pollito mama]

We have 2 roosters and 15 hens. The roosters and the youngest hens are almost a year old now. They seem to be doing great. We had had two other roosters, one was killed by a mystery predator a little before they all started coming into their 'randiness'. We re-homed the other when it seemed we clearly had too many roosters for our hen count. So there are two roosters left and they were chicks together and get along though they also compete a lot. They seem to tag team the guarding of the group, and if one goes to mate a hen the other often rushes over and knocks him off to mate her instead. Initially they were harassing the hens terribly, and there were two of the more passive girls that I had to separate from the group temporarily for their own protection (one had been injured and one had had a serious molt and just seemed to feel puny), but the roosters have grown up some and seem to be gentler on the hens, and the two hens got reintegrated without difficulty after they had had some recovery time. We have our oldest hen who we often call a he because she used to have the roll of flock guardian before the roosters came and grew up. She is still pretty tough with the roosters and I hear her try to crow a lot more these days. So though the roosters are clearly above her now, she hasn't fully given up her role as protector and doesn't take too much attitude from them. We've only had chickens a few years but that is our experience. They all free range on about an acre and get locked up at night. My eight year old is outside with them often and keeps track of the chickens' social scene.

 

[picky123]

I've got 5 roosters and 13 hens. This ratio was problematic so I'm raising up 6 more hen chicks. I didn't want to cull..I'm not adverse to it but these Roos are all exceptionally gentle Australorps that were all raised together and are just excellent birds... . The good news is everyone gets along and the Roos have a pecking order that is very gentle..Australorp Roos are the gentlest Roos I've seen. It was a straight run batch from Tractor Supply. my hens are all Leghorns and some black sex link. The new 6 are all buff Orpington and barred rock rescue chicks.

 

[picky123]

Note...I had to cull my roos down. I now have 2 (culled 4) and 18 hens. I won't try that again. It's so much more peaceable now and the hens are happier. 1 rooster per 8-10hens is a good ratio. 6 didn't work once they got mature. the cull was at 16 weeks.

 

[cbookout]

I have had zero luck with keeping roosters.

In addition to a large hen house, I have a very large free range "pen" of 10,000 sq feet and then an additional 1.5 acres for free ranging a few times a week.

I have 18 hens and 2 roosters. Mixed flock of hens and the roos are from the same hatch and they are Ameraucanas, one black and one gray. The gray one was the one in charge at first. He never attacked my black roo (who is almost twice as big) but he would not let him fertilize any of the hens. All of the sudden 2 weeks ago the black one attacked the gray one and almost killed him. They do not have spurs yet but he was pecked on the head so furiously that he was bleeding everywhere and was having problems walking without falling over. It took him almost a week to recover and he still seems a little "off". (They don't have to have Spurs to kill). Then a week later my same black roo flew over the fence and attacked the neighbors Australorp roo.

All of the sudden he is extremely aggressive towards any other roosters but he still lets me pick him up and he eats out of my hand. He is huge and beautiful and sweet to people and not overly aggressive to the hens either. But he will kill any other male bird that enters the yard.

in the past I have had to cull one speckled sussex roo due to it attacking every single person that came into the pen and then had to rehome another that was 1/2 speckled sussex and 1/2 easter egger because it was getting aggressive with people as well. Now I've got 2 Ameraucanas that are not aggressive towards people but fight with each other???

My experience with roosters has not been pleasant and I always end up with at least 1 every spring. I have never been able to keep more than one rooster without there being some serious fighting and really would prefer no roosters at all.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Roosters have a understanding with eachother,there is the Alpha roo,and any others are subordinates. And if they dare mate with a hen in front of the Alpha they get chased, beat etc. That is the way they work.

It is possible as long as the other roo's respect the Alpha mans position as Alpha man.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

But some roosters are completely relentless and no matter whether the other roo or Roo (s) are submissive some still won't allow it.I have actually had a roosters spur his sons eyes out, and break his neck, but before that,exile happened.

This proves it can always go bad.

 

[cbookout]

I agree with @TheTwoRoos. This particular rooster that I have now is as sweet as he can be to me. However, he is flying over a 7 foot fence to attack and try and kill the neighbors rooster that has never even been close to my hens??? It's nuts! It's nuts!

I've got him in confinement for five days where he can see the hens and the other rooster of mine and after five days I let him out and the first thing he does is go after my other rooster that he already almost killed.

I think sometimes roosters can just be aggressive and there's nothing you can do about it.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

I'm actually dealing with a Young cockerel right now. Hatched him out and his dad hates him. He is a BSL and his dads a NHR named Zeus.I have another cockerel on the way actually too.