Peace in the Coop with Roosters

[dawny2u2]

So far, I have killed two roosters. The first, because he was beating on the hens, they were scared to death of him. And now, the other, because he almost killed the other rooster, who I have had much longer. He was a good rooster, overzealous though, the hens liked him (though they were all becoming featherless, on their backs and behinds)
but once he established dominance over the Banty, he wouldn't let it go. The banty doesnt fertilize the eggs, but I couldn't watch him getting beat on, it was very hard to maintain two different coops, which is what I had been doing for the past week. I was hoping after the little guy healed (which he did nicely) and the Big Turken realized he was boss, I could blend the flock back together, and leave it go. But the Turken was going for blood.
This is just an attempt to release my guilt I guess. I have chickens for eggs, and pleasure. I have decided to avoid these decisions in the future, to stick with one rooster. Glad to have somewhere to vent a little, I know I am goofy about my chickens. I feel like I am jumping the gun on killing them, but they are chickens, bred for a certain death, at one time or another, and me being the keeper of the flock, has to play God, deciding who lives and who goes. A better solution would have been to find a good home for the little guy, there was no one nearby to take him (Thanks to kickinchickin for offering, didn't know how to get him from Montana to Rhode Island!)
Thats all...

 

[The Chicken People]

We all must make choices to manage our flocks!

 

[herefordlovinglady]

you just wrote my story. i have been dealing with two roos for a while now. i have threatened to kill one of them, but haven't had the heart to. i am keeping one flock in the coop and run the other flock free range. i wish there was a way to alternate, i guess if i got another coop and run i could, but the free rangers had no interest in the original coop when everyone lived happily together. i feel for you having to make the decision, but i know there is more peace in your flock this way. i hate my girls having to be in the coop and run when all they have known is free ranging in the day and coop at night. I have thought about just letting them out a couple of times on the weekend and try to keep an eye out on the roos. just haven't had the courage to put my favorite roo (once the flock leader) through the turmoil of having the younger roo chase him all day lone and possibly injure him.

 

[dawny2u2]

Thank you both for replying. Chicken People - I see you have 6 roosters, that is something to be glad about, it gives me hope that it is possible. Herefordlovinglady, I applaud you for trying to find a way.
I have realized that there is peace in my coop, and the chickens really are hard wired to be ONE flock. I don't have to run out there every few moments, seeing if the Turken found a way to get into the other coop and has the banty bloody again. I don't have to rush out there to lure the banty out from behind whatever he is hiding under