Need help

[Peringle]

I have five chicks, First pair: Pollito (head rooster), Pollita (hen), Third chick: Stew aka Baby (rooster), Second pair: Pot Pie (rooster), Brownie (hen) .

I got them at different times, I got the first two in October, the third one in November and the last two last week. Stew and Pollito settled their pecking order in one day. Pollito and Pot Pie are completely different and continue to fight. I had hoped it would go the same way as Pollito and Stew but Pot Pie refuses to give in and continues to fight back. Brownie is allowed to sleep in the coop at night but during the day she is forced to sit with Pot Pie in a corner. If she tries to eat, drink or walk around in the run she gets chased back to Pot Pie.

I know three roosters are two to many. Stew is allowed full range of the coop and run. Pot Pie is not allowed out of his corner, if he moves from his area he will get attacked by which ever one sees him first. If Pollito doesn't see him first he will go after him once Pot Pie is back in his corner. The same goes for Brownie, she has to stay in the corner with him until night time then she is allowed inside the coop.

Has anyone else dealt with something like this? I'm going to give it another day or two and if things don't improve between them then I will get rid of Pot Pie. The only thing I can think about why Pot Pie is treated the way he is, is because he continues to fight back. Stew never fought back, he was let loose in the run and Pollito chased Pollita into the coop then went after Stew. It was a one way fight that left Stew out in the cold for one night. The next day it was like they were old friends with an occasional peck from Pollito when Stew got to close to Pollita.

Any suggestions on how to handle this? The only time all five are together is when I walk into the run, then they all scatter or all five jump on top of the coop and sit there until I walk back out of the run. Then Pot Pie gets attacked and chased back to his corner, Brownie gets the same treatment.

Thanks in advance for helping!

 

[roostersandhens]

Well, technically for the amount of hens you have you really shouldn't have any roosters. I would say you can keep one rooster with the hens. Then you have 2 choices. A. you can get a coop and keep 2 roosters with no hens in it. B. you can get some battery hens which are available at egg factories. I say the spent hens (batter hens) because they are already full grown and matured, and they need a rescue so they are not ground up into dog food.
Good Luck!

 

[Mrs. K]

Get rid of all the roosters, it is not going to get better, probably worse.

Personally, I would get more hens, but not battery hens.

 

[Peringle]

Thank you! The reason we have three roosters is because the wife's aunt brought them home. I want to get more hens and I will most likely end up getting rid of at least two roosters. Thanks again!!

 

[Mahlzeit]

Unless roosters grow up together they normally won't stop fighting unless separated. I would keep your favorite rooster and get rid of the other 2.

 

[ginger67]

I have a similar question but different reaction. I already had 7 hens and got 8 day old chicks at end of May. 2 of my brahmas have turned out to be Roos. One just crowing a few weeks ago and chasing the girls. The other one I just realized is a roo but he isn't crowing or chasing hens yet? So I will have a total of 13 hens with the 2 Roos that have been together since day1. They both are very friendly, no fighting. Will I have to get rid of one or should I have enough hens for both?

 

[Jipus5]

So far, I have noticed my roosters 'claiming' 4-6 hens of their own and they flock around together all day. I breed over 150 each year and keep the 'families' that are claimed and co-exist peacefully. Course mine are free-ranged during the day which helps with them being territorial, but they are animals. All compete to be the bigshot until they are beaten down to submission or accept one anothers 'spots' in their own corner with their own 'wives'. I have one right now that's tormenting everyone...