Really want another roo, but I'm scared

[gritsar]

I would really like to order another cockerel with my new flock of girls for spring. With 12 new girls, it will bring the total of hens to 25, way more than my one roo can handle by himself.
However, the new flock will be living (though seperated by wire) with my older birds for about the first six months or so and even after they move to their own coop they will hopefully be free-ranging with my current flock, if all goes well.
I'm afaid that Thor will kill another roo. Thor is a big boy and he thinks he is God's gift to hens.
I'm not concerned with fertility, since my hens have no interest in broodiness anyways.
Am I asking for trouble by trying to upset the apple cart and get another roo?

 

[pkeeler]

If you have 25 hens, there is plenty for another rooster or two. It is rare for roosters to kill each other. Usually, they will establish a pecking order and that will be that. There really isn't enough time in the day for Thor to service 25 hens and chase other roosters. So, it should be fine. Especially, if you can keep Thor away from the new boy until he is old enough to fight/run.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
That's how it was when I had two roos, with Thor being the subordinate roo. He stayed incognito for the longest time and after he couldn't hide his maleness anymore, he just avoided the alpha. Now that he's my only roo he developed an attitude that it's his world and no one else's.
Should I look at roos that will grow to the same large size or can I add a littler boy?

 

[nsanywhere]

I have 2 roosters for my 17 hens and there isn't any trouble. Both roos are pretty gentle - a silkie and a light brahama - but the girls do get jumped on by both. The roos don't fight each other. The brahama was first and the silkie is younger and a bit pushier, but they seem to know their place in the flock. I used to have a few other roos, but they were just plain nasty, to me and to the hens, so I found them new homes where they could roam free and be the king but it was bad and bloody there for a while.

What I go by is this - if I don't see blood, all is good!

 

[easttxchick]

I would almost be afraid to add a smaller roo, Gritsar, just in case Thor gets too big for his tailfeathers and DOES want to fight. At least your new guy would be of a size to defend himself and not have to endure a "smackdown" on a daily basis!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Yeah I would really love a small roo, but I'm afraid you're right. *Mental picture of Thor sitting on a OEGB roo*
Looking at the langshans. Thor would probably still outweigh him, but at least they would be about the same height.
P.S. Thor is already too big for his tailfeathers. In the five minutes it took me to come in the house to get a neighbor eggs, the neighbor said he saw Thor mate hens six times.

 

[fordmommy]

With all you've said about your Thor and how much you love him, here and other posts too, I think you have 3 options.

1- half 2 seperate flocks. Caged seperately. Free ranging seperately. The whole nine yards. Pain in the rump, but workable.

2- have them together, and someone will get hurt or worse.

3- leave things the way they are.

 

[Keri78]

I have three roo boys(used to have four and one mysteriously disappeared without a trace..he was a sweetie too!

) Anyway, I have one giant cochin roo boy who does is the sweetest mild mannered boy you could ever meet! He's VERY passive around me and my kiddos but does his "job" keeps the girls inline and safe! My other two are banty frizz roos. One is sweet and nice and the other ...well lets' just say it's a real good thing he's so pretty or he would be soup!

Anywho...they are both fine when seperate free ranging and even sharing the same sleeping space with the big giant cochin roo ...he takes charge and the little one knows he just can't compete so he submits and all is well. All my big roo has to do is stand up nice and tall and flap his huge wings and the banty roo will run off! BUT...my two banties CAN NOT be together at all!!! I'm absolutely convinced that they would continue fighting until one of them dies!

I've made several attempts at just letting them fight it out while they were free ranging in my back yard and even if one eventually submits(after a big bloody battle) the other one will continue chasing him around the yard and fighting with him...it's AWEFUL!!! Anyway, they each have their own chicken tractors with their own girls and that works out just fine. And they can free range with my gentle giant boy and that's fine but the two little tyrants just can't be together!

Anyway, I say all of that to say be sure you get a submissive roo. My giant cochin boy wants absolutely no parts of a fight with anyone(nice boy). And also keep in mind(although I know many other on here will disagree with me on this) my little red banty frizz boy tries relentlessly to mate with my "big girls" and they refuse to let him mate with them! And even if they by chance they lay still for him he's sooo small that he can't physically get the job done!(FUNNY to watch him try though!) My white banty roo is bigger and has no problems with the big girls. However, with my little red roo eventually they just get annoyed with him and chase him away! Sooo...don't assume if your buying a banty to help out with mating all of your hens that he'll be able to get the job done for ya. I know all chickens are different but just something to consider. Blessings,Keri

 

[easttxchick]

You should get you a Black Langsan! I have one that I love. He's 3 months old and he is gonna be HUGE and is very sweet natured.

He's so big and lumbering that we named him Lurch.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
OMG, you should see Thor run! He can't get any speed going standing upright, so when the girls start to pass him he streamlines by bending the top half of his body forward and that gets his nitro going. He still looks like Forrest Gump, no matter how hard he tries.

I so wish we had a video camera.