Pecking Order!! I need help!

[BedRock Farm Ladies]

7 roos is a lot. Unless you have 30ish hens, they will be at constant war for the top. Convincing them to get along will be difficult due to the lack of distractions. If the top roos are young, it might be possible. However, when they get fully mature, it will be nonstop battle... From my experience.

I have 36 hens. They are turning 1 in September, so they’re mature by now.

 

[LaFleche]

Sometimes roosters form some kind of team where they tolerate each other and share their duties and even sleep peacefully side by side in the same coop. But you only find out about these relationships when observing them very closely for quite some time.

But as long as you have separate coops for every rooster and they have plenty of space to avoid each other this can work, but you need to be present for several days to monitor their behaviour and be able to immediately step in if necessary.

 

[BedRock Farm Ladies]

Sometimes roosters form some kind of team where they tolerate each other and share their duties and even sleep peacefully side by side in the same coop. But you only find out about these relationships when observing them very closely for quite some time.

But as long as you have separate coops for every rooster and they have plenty of space to avoid each other this can work, but you need to be present for several days to monitor their behaviour and be able to immediately step in if necessary.

I always keep watch when I introduce new feathered friends to the flock and make sure they settle in on a great spot on the perches before locking them in for the night!

 

[bobbi-j]

I’m a bit confused. You have 5 roosters, and you want more to protect your flock that is penned? I feel like you’re asking for trouble in trying to add more. Roosters need a lot of room to be able to get along. Fights are likely to happen when a subordinate rooster can’t get away from a dominant one. The dominant one can see that as a challenge, and the fighting begins.

Electric wire around the perimeter of your fence will not kill your birds. I have mine about 6” off the ground around my runs. It keeps nosy animals from snuffling around or digging under the fence. What kind of wire do you have covering your run? I don’t know that a hawk would tear through it to get to your chickens. If it’s chicken wire, I’d be more concerned about raccoons, mink, or opossums getting through it, and most roosters won’t be able to stand up to them anyway.

 

[triciayoung]

Hawks will not get through even secured chicken wire on a roof - just because they won't try it. They are very smart and strategic and know they need a way out even if they get in.

 

[Yardmom]

I have 6 roos and 50ish hens (my daughter does night counts and could be more specific). The are split between 2 coops and each coop has its own free range territory. Most roos of egg type breeds will fight to establish dominance by a year, if they grew up together and can live peaceful if they have unlimited space. As new cockerals mature they will fight until their place is established in rank. Are you thinking of putting in grown roos or allowing chicks to grow up in the flock? Adding full grown roos will definitely trigger fights that will require free range space. Personality of the fight losers needs to be of retreat when needed because not giving up will get them killed. Personality of the victors needs to be one that allows retreat. Some roos will pursue and kill a retreating roo. Humans need to be able to tolerate fighting because if humans interfere the challenges for dominance will just restart again and again.

On another note I'm not sure adding larger roos is going to be any more protection for your flock than the littles. Chickens are prey animals. Roosters alert the flock and then attempt to lead the flock to safety. Those spurs are more for fighting other roos.
Banties are able to alert and lead as well as Large Fowl. In the rare cases when the roo turns to fight instead of run there is not really a much better chance of the larger roo winning than a banty. Fox as you know and racoons ect. Are the usual winners. Game roos might win occasionally, but they don't usually do well with other roos.

 

[BedRock Farm Ladies]

Please, post a few pictures of your set up. How much space exactly do the chickens have outside their coop? How many coops do you have? How many runs?

The larger girls’ run is the first one shown, the second is the smaller one for some of my bantys. I have two locks on the door to get into the coop, not including the one on the second door inside of the coop. I do need to put more hardware cloth around my bantys pen, and I’m planning to get another coop for my new chicks and maybe some of my current bantys.

I’m a bit confused. You have 5 roosters, and you want more to protect your flock that is penned? I feel like you’re asking for trouble in trying to add more. Roosters need a lot of room to be able to get along. Fights are likely to happen when a subordinate rooster can’t get away from a dominant one. The dominant one can see that as a challenge, and the fighting begins.

Electric wire around the perimeter of your fence will not kill your birds. I have mine about 6” off the ground around my runs. It keeps nosy animals from snuffling around or digging under the fence. What kind of wire do you have covering your run? I don’t know that a hawk would tear through it to get to your chickens. If it’s chicken wire, I’d be more concerned about raccoons, mink, or opossums getting through it, and most roosters won’t be able to stand up to them anyway.

They free range. They have my whole yard to run around and eat in, I throw feed and let them scavenge plenty. As of now they are penned, and the roosters I will be keeping are young so won’t be going out for a while