Ordered two roo's, back and fourth with my decision

[CabritaChicks]

After a recent loss (documented in other posts), I still have 2.5 chickens. However. I have chicks arriving around October 1st. In the order, I included one rooster I really wanted and also a “surprise” rooster. So that is rooster x2

My reasoning is simple: I don’t know which chicks will make the journey, but I want to be sure I end up with at least one roo.

I raise them with a lot of love inside my home—my last rooster was a complete cuddle bug. He wasn’t aggressive at all toward humans; more like a girl scout leader. Whenever I called the flock in from free-ranging, he would proudly lead the whole group back to me. Also saved the life of my dear Isla from a canine predator.

That said, I keep reading about how much competition can flare up between roosters. I’m not afraid to cull if necessary, and mine are always raised to be lap chickens first. The chosen roo is a Wheaten Olive Egger, because I find them absolutely stunning and offspring will work well with the females a long time from now. The other? Well, that’s russian roulette.

Alright, that is long and drawn out but the question is: Can 2 roo's who cohabitate from birth get along?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Alright, that is long and drawn out but the question is: Can 2 roo's who cohabitate from birth get along?

Short answer - Maybe

Long and drawn out answer - Maybe. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Each chicken has its own personality. Some can get along better with others where some can't. This includes the males. It is possible males will fight to the death to be flock master. It is possible they can come to an agreement and share in flockmaster duties. Them growing up together, either as siblings or as father-son can help some in that but it is not a guarantee. Some that do not grow up together can get along.

They will know which one is boss. That may be settled from fighting, it may be by intimidation. Exactly what that looks like can vary. Sometimes they share the hens but often one dominates in mating the hens.

Having a lot of room usually helps in chicken relationships, here especially. If they have enough room each rooster may claim a certain territory and attracts whatever hens he can. By staying out of sight of each other they avoid conflict.

I don't know how much room you have but the more room the more likely you can make it work. If you have the minimum room often quoted on here it will be harder and less likely to work than if you have a lot of extra room. That does not mean it will never work with less room, just that it is less likely to work.

The only way to find out is to try it.

 

[CabritaChicks]

Short answer - Maybe

Long and drawn out answer - Maybe. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Each chicken has its own personality. Some can get along better with others where some can't. This includes the males. It is possible males will fight to the death to be flock master. It is possible they can come to an agreement and share in flockmaster duties. Them growing up together, either as siblings or as father-son can help some in that but it is not a guarantee. Some that do not grow up together can get along.

They will know which one is boss. That may be settled from fighting, it may be by intimidation. Exactly what that looks like can vary. Sometimes they share the hens but often one dominates in mating the hens.

Having a lot of room usually helps in chicken relationships, here especially. If they have enough room each rooster may claim a certain territory and attracts whatever hens he can. By staying out of sight of each other they avoid conflict.

I don't know how much room you have but the more room the more likely you can make it work. If you have the minimum room often quoted on here it will be harder and less likely to work than if you have a lot of extra room. That does not mean it will never work with less room, just that it is less likely to work.

The only way to find out is to try it.

I really like your response.

 

[McChooky]

I see no valid reason for keeping more than one unless you want to breed chickens. I raised a pair up together and they got along great until I decided to separate them into 2 flocks.I rehomed the guy who wouldn't stop fighting.He was also more aggressive with the hens