Rooster bachelor pad

[Yorkshiregal]

When I create bachelor groups, like will be doing soon with six American Dominiques and Missouri Dominiques that will be housed in a 10' x 10' dog kennel, every effort made to disrupt their idea of being on home turf. Everyone is then on even footing. They will be kicking each others butt for a while. This does not go unchecked. If someone gets a little too much into scrapping, they are kept apart for a bit to allow soreness to kick in. Then they are released and most of time they go through a brief round of bluffing before someone acquiesces. Then I make so their environment is complex so subordinates can get away from bullies. A key part of that is a piece of plywood that a subordinate can run behind and go completely around if need be. For me, running four or more roosters in a group is better than just 2 or 3. More seems better.

Silkies and the others might be managed in a similar manner. I will be doing my combing before molt gets heavy on tail feathers because on I want the roosters to look pretty in spring.

Great thanks! You have given me some great ideas. We are building a small coop today or starting it at least. Do the roosters do better out of sight of the hens?

 

[centrarchid]

Great thanks! You have given me some great ideas. We are building a small coop today or starting it at least. Do the roosters do better out of sight of the hens?

I do not know. That used to be my assumption, but having hens running outside bachelor pen did not seem to cause undo discord. Just keep so roosters cannot mount hens as that does seem to initiate chaos.

 

[Trish1974]

When I create bachelor groups, like will be doing soon with six American Dominiques and Missouri Dominiques that will be housed in a 10' x 10' dog kennel, every effort made to disrupt their idea of being on home turf. Everyone is then on even footing.

So is it best to put them all in at once into a new enclosure, as opposed to having 2 or 3 already in there and then adding cockerels to it one by one or in pairs?

 

[centrarchid]

So is it best to put them all in at once into a new enclosure, as opposed to having 2 or 3 already in there and then adding cockerels to it one by one or in pairs?

All at once. If someone is "local" they need to be younger and lower ranking at onset of introduction. You can introduce in sequence although in my experience there is more fighting.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

A bit off topic, but anyone have advice for adding a cockerel to a bachelor pad with mature Roos? We are thinking of culling the silkie roo and adding a 3 mo olive egger cockerel and wondering if that would work...

 

[centrarchid]

A bit off topic, but anyone have advice for adding a cockerel to a bachelor pad with mature Roos? We are thinking of culling the silkie roo and adding a 3 mo olive egger cockerel and wondering if that would work...

That may be relatively easy. Consider placing cockerel in a smaller pen within the larger pen for a few days so his novelty wears off. Then release him under supervision.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi so I’ve read a lot about keeping roosters together

Hi there, hope you are enjoying BYC!

I also keep a bachelor pad... it does work easiest if all are separated into it at the same time. But it get's better with time and yes more boys are better than only a couple.

Those who insist on mounting other boys are often sent to freezer camp. I won't tolerate it. It was only an issue mostly for my Silkies... which are totally edible! Make no mistake they dress out and taste just fine! The black skin is pretty cool looking. And if I don't want to eat them, I got no problem processing for my dogs or even sending to the compost pile for carrion eaters... or the feral barn cat who got rid of ALL rodent activity recently before she moved on (the day I called about trap neuter release) after raising a litter.

My bachelor pad shares a wire wall with my hen coop and a wire fence in the pasture. I like the boys in sight of the ladies this way they can learn to treat call and work really hard to get the ladies attention. The wing dance and serenade through the fence. One of my boys used to let the ladies groom him through the fence. They learn some manners so that if and when I am ready for breeding, they know how to act. If I want to hatch eggs I remove my stag only for one day and return to roost that night to keep pecking order status quo. Once the boys mature some more a head stag is wonderful peace keeper allowing me to add young juveniles without separation first. He treat calls them and breaks up fights. Attitude is the number one reason for culling here above breed, faults, size or other characteristics. Scuffles happen as with any group living together. But a peaceful flock IS a possibility and requirement here. Agreed, visual blocks and things to run around are key. Also extra feeders and waterers can help.

Interestingly, Silkies come in such a wide variety of sizes. They were so much larger than my Ameraucana bantams. Wyandottes were one of the more tasty breeds we've eaten.

Good luck on your adventure!

 

[Yorkshiregal]

Hi there, hope you are enjoying BYC!

I also keep a bachelor pad... it does work easiest if all are separated into it at the same time. But it get's better with time and yes more boys are better than only a couple.

Those who insist on mounting other boys are often sent to freezer camp. I won't tolerate it. It was only an issue mostly for my Silkies... which are totally edible! Make no mistake they dress out and taste just fine! The black skin is pretty cool looking. And if I don't want to eat them, I got no problem processing for my dogs or even sending to the compost pile for carrion eaters... or the feral barn cat who got rid of ALL rodent activity recently before she moved on (the day I called about trap neuter release) after raising a litter.

My bachelor pad shares a wire wall with my hen coop and a wire fence in the pasture. I like the boys in sight of the ladies this way they can learn to treat call and work really hard to get the ladies attention. The wing dance and serenade through the fence. One of my boys used to let the ladies groom him through the fence. They learn some manners so that if and when I am ready for breeding, they know how to act. If I want to hatch eggs I remove my stag only for one day and return to roost that night to keep pecking order status quo. Once the boys mature some more a head stag is wonderful peace keeper allowing me to add young juveniles without separation first. He treat calls them and breaks up fights. Attitude is the number one reason for culling here above breed, faults, size or other characteristics. Scuffles happen as with any group living together. But a peaceful flock IS a possibility and requirement here. Agreed, visual blocks and things to run around are key. Also extra feeders and waterers can help.

Interestingly, Silkies come in such a wide variety of sizes. They were so much larger than my Ameraucana bantams. Wyandottes were one of the more tasty breeds we've eaten.

Good luck on your adventure!

Well we have built a little coop and a nice pen that we will put the silkies in today. They are across the yard from the hens. They will still see each other. The Wyandotte’s are huge beautiful birds and have nice temperaments so far. I think I’ll just keep these two as they are for now, free ranging closer to the house. My silkies are bantams and feel so small. I think they’d probably make a good soup? I have one who is tiny and kept escaping from their temp pen so I put him back with my hens. He’s very mellow and he’ll mount a chicken and spin around walking on her back. He has no clue what he’s doing but the hens are tolerate him. The problem I’m having now is my leghorn rooster has started attacking me when I enter the pen? I have a stick with me at all times and I’m not messing with his hens at all? He’s young but I’m not liking his behavior. He was always the most friendly bird? Do you think I’m making him worse with the stick or should I just use my boot? Gentle as possible of course!! Is he just testing me?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Well we have built a little coop and a nice pen that we will put the silkies in today. They are across the yard from the hens. They will still see each other. The Wyandotte’s are huge beautiful birds and have nice temperaments so far. I think I’ll just keep these two as they are for now, free ranging closer to the house. My silkies are bantams and feel so small. I think they’d probably make a good soup? I have one who is tiny and kept escaping from their temp pen so I put him back with my hens. He’s very mellow and he’ll mount a chicken and spin around walking on her back. He has no clue what he’s doing but the hens are tolerate him. The problem I’m having now is my leghorn rooster has started attacking me when I enter the pen? I have a stick with me at all times and I’m not messing with his hens at all? He’s young but I’m not liking his behavior. He was always the most friendly bird? Do you think I’m making him worse with the stick or should I just use my boot? Gentle as possible of course!! Is he just testing me?

There are many threads and several articles on rooster aggression in BYC. There are many many philosophies and opinions on how to deal with this very common problem. I myself think that roosters raised with other chickens understand that humans are not other roosters, but I am probably in the minority... I mostly try to convince the maturing cockerels that there is nothing to be gained by attacking me. If they attack or act aggressive, I immediately grab them (often by their tail as they usually try to run when they see I’m going for them), tuck them in the crook of my arm like a football, and carry them around for a while, doing chores or whatever. I ignore them, and I don’t let them go when they try to squirm away. I take him of his territory, like out of the run or to the front of the house. I read this technique somewhere, and she carried them for 20 min, but I’m not that patient! I do this for 5-10 min, until he is calm. Then I place him back on the ground and stand there. Most cockerels will run or walk away. One repeatedly threw himself at me, so we repeated several times until he tires of this. I do have one stubborn silkie roo that is the only one who will still consider attacking me, but he usually behaves himself. I’ve pasted an article link below that mostly matches our philosophy, but doesn’t use the carrying technique.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/comment/507839/

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The problem I’m having now is my leghorn rooster has started attacking me when I enter the pen? I have a stick with me at all times and I’m not messing with his hens at all? He’s young but I’m not liking his behavior. He was always the most friendly bird? Do you think I’m making him worse with the stick or should I just use my boot? Gentle as possible of course!! Is he just testing me?

My most friendly one that started attacking was never able to reform and had to go to freezer camp. Yes, soup is a good option for the smaller birds. Unfortunately it is often the most friendly cockerels who become the keepers biggest nightmare once hormones start kicking in. Teenagers of ALL species are bound to test and push their limits... boys being a little more daring and pumped up with something to prove to earn their mating rights.

Having a stick with you is good. Use it as an extension of your arm. I like to use a broom, a leaf rake, a pvc pipe.. something they clearly recognize and respect. Hear them respond Bahh, ba, ba, bah.. when they see it. I would also try not to turn my back on him. He may see you as competition not a threat. But if you have been friendly he knows he has nothing to fear and for them fear equals respect. Respect of your space where they actively avoid you and step out of your way when you walk through. Using your boot will almost undoubtedly escalate his behavior. If he is with hens, putting him in a stag pen *may* curb the behavior. Or it may not. Sometimes a little time to cool their jets and and gain some maturity will allow them time to learn to control their impulses.

Having raised at least 50 roosters per year for the past several years... my lap boy was the ONLY one to actively stalk and attack me constantly until meeting his fate. It was hard since he was my favorite and first intended to keep. But getting attacked and crowed at constantly wears on ya. Other than that one or two that try to bite when ya pick them up. But no real attackers SO FAR.

Selecting in order to keep a flock peaceful is always a good choice.

I won't personally let a bantam stags ride my hens like it's a rodeo even if they tolerate it because they have no choice. But that's me. I don't think they are causing harm. I just don't like the dynamic. Especially when seeing the ladies with a rooster they do like and accept.

I haven't tried the carrying technique yet. I have tried the dominance thing and it was not useful for me... other than learning to walk through them earlier in life and not allow lap boys once they are identified as cockerels.

You are in full swing learning mode right now. Good luck!