Rooster Flock Thread

[That_australian_lad]

one of my roos died

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

one of my roos died

I'm sorry. It's always hard to lose them.

 

[That_australian_lad]

I'm sorry. It's always hard to lose them.

his bro misses him

 

[CamTheChknKeeper]

his bro misses him

I’m sorry.

I had a loss of two hens resulting in my first Roo being left alone; that’s how I wound up getting another Roo; but I’m thinking now I Should have gotten both brothers, because they’re not J Giants so neither is big enough to rein in my Orp’s bullying. I’m currently alternating days when they have the run of the garden (about a tenth of an acre).
I’m still glad I got the second boy, but I wouldn’t do it again. I don’t think they’ll ever be friends.
Guess I’ll live and learn! Next flock will be raised together and be similar sized.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I gave a family one of my roosters, the rooster that liked the old hen. I moved my olive egger in with all the hens because he began to crow, even though he is 3 months old and my other roosters are 5 months old and have not crowed yet. The olive decided he was not ready to crow once he was in with the older birds. I still have 2 of the nice RIR roosters, and one roo is always first out of the pop door and wants love first thing in the morning and says hi to me in his little peep peep voice.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I’ve read on some other articles (not on byc) that roos do a lot better in bachelor flocks of three rather than two. Because then it evens out the pecking order. Has anyone noticed that? I used to have a couple of flocks of two roos and they seemed to work out well but mostly I had bigger flocks.

 

[centrarchid]

I’ve read on some other articles (not on byc) that roos do a lot better in bachelor flocks of three rather than two. Because then it evens out the pecking order. Has anyone noticed that? I used to have a couple of flocks of two roos and they seemed to work out well but mostly I had bigger flocks.

I prefer males in a male only group several as disperses aggression in American Domniques.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-manage-numerous-flocks.759717/#post-10812479

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...in-american-dominiques.1019004/#post-15802005

 

[Trish1974]

I’ve read on some other articles (not on byc) that roos do a lot better in bachelor flocks of three rather than two. Because then it evens out the pecking order. Has anyone noticed that? I used to have a couple of flocks of two roos and they seemed to work out well but mostly I had bigger flocks.

I believe it! I had to break up my trio after selling one.
I had three cockerels in together, who have been in together since last fall. The first two were born in the same hatch - raised together and never been apart. I added a slightly older male to them in November. The older one became the top cockerel. I sold him a few weeks ago, and that same evening my other two cockerels started fighting. I figured they were resetting the pecking order, but it got really rough and blood was drawn. I separated them for the evening, and let them out together the next morning. This fight went beyond establishing a new pecking order - they were actually cock fighting. By the time I broke it up, both were falling over from exhaustion but still trying to kill each other. One was covered in blood and missing an earlobe, the other one's eye was swollen shut and he was missing half his tufts. I separated them for good that day.
So how do just two cockerels settle a pecking order dispute?? I guess they don't; at least that has been my experience.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I like the rooster chicks they are so friendly, and curious.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I prefer males in a male only group several as disperses aggression in American Domniques.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-manage-numerous-flocks.759717/#post-10812479

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...in-american-dominiques.1019004/#post-15802005

There’s a lot of informational posts in those threads. Do you have any tips about bachelor flocks you’d like to share?

I believe it! I had to break up my trio after selling one.
I had three cockerels in together, who have been in together since last fall. The first two were born in the same hatch - raised together and never been apart. I added a slightly older male to them in November. The older one became the top cockerel. I sold him a few weeks ago, and that same evening my other two cockerels started fighting. I figured they were resetting the pecking order, but it got really rough and blood was drawn. I separated them for the evening, and let them out together the next morning. This fight went beyond establishing a new pecking order - they were actually cock fighting. By the time I broke it up, both were falling over from exhaustion but still trying to kill each other. One was covered in blood and missing an earlobe, the other one's eye was swollen shut and he was missing half his tufts. I separated them for good that day.
So how do just two cockerels settle a pecking order dispute?? I guess they don't; at least that has been my experience.

I’m sorry you had to deal with that. My two flocks that had two roos each had an obvious leader and an obvious subordinate, and both leaders were very tolerant of the subordinate rooster. A while ago I had some bantam cockerels temporarily housed together in cages that didn’t give them enough space. At the time I didn’t have anything larger. Some of the top roos in those cages picked on the subordinate roos incessantly, and some got along fine. Maybe part of the problem is that your two are too evenly matched?