my young rooster just killed my old rooster

[smarsh2]

i would have to go with the theory that the older one was ailing. I had an older one kill 3 younger ones in one day, but never the other way.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I had a small, timid, but mid-pecking order roo who was never bullied by the other boys. One day, one of the roosters started chasing him around. I didn't know what the deal was, but I let the pecking order be the pecking order. A few days after, the boy was sneezing and wheezing and did not look good. The more dominant male sensed that he was ill and was trying to finish the job. The pecking order can be a very cruel thing.

Good luck.

 

[Young Heritage]

Old roo could have gotten snake bit or something. When one roo is dieing the other roos will get on top and almost "fight" the other dieing individual. Maybe that is what you seen. The younger one may not have killed it but just responded to it dieing. I have to keep my main roo put up when the others are going to freezer camp or he will try to mount/attack the headless roos as they die and drain out.

 

[mulewagon]

One of my roosters will attack a plastic milk jug if he finds it lying on the ground - I guess it looks enough like a chicken body to arouse his instinct.

And I keep my roosters separate after they nearly killed each other. The winner kept staggering through the blazing heat after the loser. They just keep on, like little feathered Terminators.

 

[southerndesert]

Years ago we had an old rooster we kept because he was just so good looking and bad to the bone, but he was getting older and one of his sons took him out as well. The older rooster had developed a limp and was obviously not feeling his best and the long ago installed instinct to seize the opportunity to take over the flock took over and it to was very quick.

Sorry for the loss, but I agree I don't think you have a psycho rooster on your hands chickens can be shockingly brutal towards each other. Just how it is when you are a chicken...

 

[write2caroline]

I have multiple roos 3 standard size and they for the most part get along but the youngest Copper took on the Alpha and oldest Razzamatazz and now the Alpha is the omega on the pecking order and the youngest formerly the omega is just somewhere in the middle. However - Razzamatazz the former Alpha is chased off by even the lowliest of my bantam roos and I have to feed him separately. It is funny that the Youngest the Copper Maran is the largest in size but has not chosen to take on the new alpha Son of Razz who is the same size as his daddy Razz. I have trimmed Razzy's spurs and the others don't have the sharp points.

Caroline

 

[sammyh312]

was a "fight" actually witnessed, or was the younger bird maybe just dancing around kicking around the older rooster? What im asking was, did they square off then tie up? Maybe your wife saw basically what u did then just described it as a fight. Something else mighta killed the big rooster, and ive seen hens and roosters "attack" other dead ones, and if id have got there late without seeing everything, ida been thinking one roo killed the other too.

 

[acoya]

The fight, as short as it was, was seen. My wife was on the porch and said they were both jumping and fighting. I was in the next room and came out and put my boots on and walked down and he was totally dead within that time. I suspect the older guy was either under the weather as people have suggested or the young roo just got an absurdly lucky head shot in as there were no wounds on his body at all. The young roo was crowing up a storm this morning but really hasnt taken the interest in doing all the rooster duties the other guy took care of. He would literally herd the flock with him and call them over whenever he found food. He was a pain in the butt to people but a really good roo for a free range flock.

The young guy just seems to want to hang out in the barn today, so ill give him a few months to develop and if he doesnt handle it i guess its time for one of the younger ones to step up. Its funny though, with the death of the old boss yesterday, this morning was total bird chaos. I have a flock around 25 ducks and geese that usually get up and go down to the pond at 6am and today they hung out outside the barn and were trying to get into the chicken run through the open door, this is the first time they have ever tried that. The turkeys were gobbling up a storm and were chasing the hens all over the place, something that isnt at all normal either. Even the big animals seem to know somethings changed as the alpacas were playing around in the flock chasing the hens for no real reason at all... darn, that old jerk was holding the whole place together all this time, who knew?

 

[sammyh312]

Yep, that old jerk was keeping all together. Same in the people world too. Ive been predicting the same thing at work when a certain, old fat sergeant retires from the department - LOL

 

[Lorraines]

I can relate,as well. My young roos had been picking on their "dad" who was a sweet silkie. By far my favorite guy. He was healthy and friendly. I rescued him when I noticed his featherless head. I took two young roos " to the farm" and kept one. I thought all was fine wo a gang of them. But about 2 weeks later I found the body of my sweet boy with his face pecked out. It was very traumatic! I still have the young roo but I dont trust him. I may get rid of him and go rooless.