Rooster Chat

[TLove99]

I have a Dominique rooster who is the boss of the coop and I'm 95% sure I have a Delaware rooster. I say that because he sure looks like a rooster but has never done anything remotely roosterish. I've never heard him crow either. They are both 5 months old. So far there is peace but I know that may not last. They are both good boys so far. When I had two other roosters I think it stressed out the Dom and he was very aggressive towards the hens but since they have gone away I haven't seen any more picking.
My plan is to try and keep both of them and see how their temperaments develop. As I understand it, they are still too young to determine their final personalities. I swear that Delaware thinks he is a hen. Then I can pick the one I like best if I have to get rid of one. If the Delaware continues to think he is a girl, I may not have any trouble at all.

On another note, my Dom has a lot of brown feathers, I mean A LOT of brown. He has the black and white barred look there, but its covered by a lot of light brown feathers. Is this a flaw? Bad genes? Someone told me it might go away after he molts. I'm hoping it's just a juvenile thing he will lose when he gets older. Anybody know? Thanks

 

[TLove99]

Here's my two boys. (i had to load them off my phone) They are enjoying some peach leftover from when I canned peaches.

 

[Lemac]

My multi- spurs cockerel

 

[Outpost JWB]

@Lemac ????? Never seen anything like that before. What breed is he?

 

[uzisuzuki]

It seems like it helps...I have four at this time with about twenty five hens. Haven't had any problems with them....they worked out their positions and pretty much leave each other alone...oh there's an occasional face-off but it rarely goes any farther...I stopped my Silkie Roo from running the little Welsummer bantam, and himself to death...by grabbing the Silkie and giving the little guy a chance to get out of sight for a while....never witnessed it again...

Sometimes roosters will get along, and sometimes not. If injuries are happening, rehome someone or set up a totally separate coop. Mary

Thank you both for the advise! They are separated right now to let my Sebright recover and to let my Polish hens recover as my Teenage Nightmare cockerel has started to tear out their feathers pretty badly (aprons have been ordered).

He's my first incubated and hatched chicken so I'm attached to him, for better or worse. It might not be the easiest route right now since I just got a peafowl trio, but I think separate living is the way we're going to go for now. Could they be reintegrated at any point or are there any tips on making it through the teen stage a little less traumatized?


Here's the hormone crazed teen - Golden Laced Polish/Silver Sebright mix named Memnoch (appropriately named now, it seems). He took after his mom in size.


And here's his old man - Silver Sebright named Odysseus.

 

[aldarita]

So based on everybody's experience, if you have to separate a cockerel because he is being too rough on the pullets, how long will it take for him to mature and get the hormones settled? I have a 16 week old cockerel, so far he is doing OK but I am watching him like a hawk and want to be prepared for any eventuality. I know every case is different because it all has to do with the personality of each bird but I would like to have an idea on the time frame and also, will it be OK for him to be by himself in his own coop and pen while the hormones get settled? since chickens are social animals and need companions to live and grow with.

 

[Lemac]

@Lemac ????? Never seen anything like that before. What breed is he?

plsPls

 

[Outpost JWB]

So based on everybody's experience, if you have to separate a cockerel because he is being too rough on the pullets, how long will it take for him to mature and get the hormones settled? I have a 16 week old cockerel, so far he is doing OK but I am watching him like a hawk and want to be prepared for any eventuality. I know every case is different because it all has to do with the personality of each bird but I would like to have an idea on the time frame and also, will it be OK for him to be by himself in his own coop and pen while the hormones get settled? since chickens are social animals and need companions to live and grow with.

Every rooster is different. I have had to move my good intended "breeding" roosters to the butcher list because they were too aggressive. They hormones do eventually settle down but I have a farm with around 150 chickens. There is never any shortage of roosters here.

 

[Folly's place]

"Many are called, but few are chosen". Sorry I couldn't resist! Handsome big cockrels sometimes just don't work out; I'm dealing with the same issues here right now. Mary

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

I have thirty three roosters. Polish, Silkie, Cochin, Serama, and two mutts. Most of them get along, and I'm trying to rehome seven...And yeah, I've been called the crazy rooster lady....