I have a stag pen where I keep all my boys once they are big enough to be kept on one side of the fence and definitely NO later than when they have started trying to mount my pullets. Of course this is mostly while they are growing into edible size. But I keep my breeding roos there to. Which by the way aren't rooster until at least 1 year old.
It does not matter how much room you have... they will relentlesly chase and harrass,
if that's what they choose to do. So it really does depend on the individual. By the time my younger boys get integrated with the older they have already been seeing each other through the fence. But were not raised together.
My boys can see my hens... which makes the older ones pace the fence all day long and go into a tizzy when a girl comes out singing. Reason I haven't made it blinded is because I can't afford to lose the sunlight on the other side... girls in the am and boys in the pm. Actually, I guess there is also just a wire barrier between the 2 coops on the inside as well.
If I weren't eating or breeding, I would not keep any extras. The boys that are there for the long term deserve some peace and the constant challenge of up and coming cockerels might not bring that. Plus seriously who need the competetive crowing?!
I do enjoy having boys. But it isn't in my budget to let all the extras just hang out and muck up the pasture if they don't have a future purpose here. I figure it cost me $3/month to feed a hen, so a little more than that for a roo... especially since the hens go forage all day and the boys just pace the fence thinking about getting some tail.
Allthough boys are pretty to look at and fun to watch, they are livestock to me. The one I thought was going to be a pet because he was so happy to hang out with me all day, quickly became demon spawn when he reached mating age. Though he still lives his days are VERY numbered... this chicken mama does not like being attacked. No other boy that wasn't friendly when young has ever even looked cross eyed at me *yet*.
There are scuffles in my stag pen. Usually around 8-10 occupants with 144 sq feet in the coop and 1500+ sq feet run. It usually is not serious. But if I see something last too long I intervene that day and if it continues then someone usually gets processed sooner than later. Providing plenty of visual barriers helps and I have extra feeders.
Don't get me wrong, I think roosters are cool and my neighbors love having them so far, even though they start crowing at 3:30 am EVERY day. We are far enough away, I guess. If you can afford to feed them and enjoy having them... It's a great idea! Especially if you can help out someone who really does not want their boy to go to freezer camp.
Blocking the line of sight but still having sound will probably make the boys try just as hard to get to them.. maybe even crow a little more to let the girls know they are there. That's 1 way they compete for the ladies. Hard to say really, things are so fluid with all the chickens having different personalities. 2 of my boys line up and stick their heads through as far as possible and a couple of girls will go over there and clean their waddles and chat with them.
Also, my roosters do not usually bother very young chicks. They are more concerned with checking out the ladies. And if I have a roo with the ladies they also do not mess with chicks because they know they *might* be the father and want to protect their offspring.
Some breeds are friendlier to their coopmates than others. My Marans are quite fiesty while my faverolles were quite docile.
