Rooster help

[aram-19]

Hello BYC users, I ask for help on some roosters in my coop. I have 2 roosters and 4 hens. 2 hens per rooster. I usually let them out the small cramped coop to let them free range for the afternoon and evening.
I need help on how I can get my older rooster ( buff Orpington) to stop attacking my other rooster without actually having to get rid of one. Any ideas?

 

[LRH97]

Are the fights severe? It is very common for roos to squabble and spar amongst themselves. Your top roo naturally thinks all the hens are his, so any attempts at mating by your subordinate roo will likely be met with getting a chunk of feathers taken out by your top. This is pretty normal.

If they seriously fight, the only way to eliminate that problem completely is to separate the birds, whether it be in separate coops with hens or bachelor pads. You could also get more hens (which I strongly suggest if you're adamant about keeping both roos). Two roos on four hens could lead to overbreeding and increased competition.

Being me, if the fights are bad and I couldn't get anymore birds or separate accordingly, I'd lose a roo.

 

[keesmom]

You either have to add several more hens, or remove one male. Since you've mentioned your coop is cramped already your choice is made whether or not it's what you want. One male has to go unless you want to build a second coop.

 

[adstowe]

4 hens isn't going to work with 2 roos. I'd get rid of one and possibly both. 1. How big is this "cramped" coop and run? 2. Why do you have/want roos? I'm not criticizing. I always have a roo. Just wondering what your personal reason is. I personally just like having them around. I live where I can have them and free range my birds. If one goes broody I just consider it a bonus that she has fertile eggs. Having 2 is going to require a lot of space and many more hens though. That pretty much means you need to lose one. Fighting and over breeding is going to be a concern with a 2/4 ratio and depending on your roo's libido, 1/4 may be too much. There are plenty of people who keep 1 roo with 3 hens and do it successfully, but it all comes down to the temperament of that bird. Generally people who do that are breeders. They breed their birds from good stock and try and improve on it. A hatchery rooster is going to have a slimmer chance of making that work. Not saying it can't, but the odds aren't as good as they are with birds that are bred with specific selection for favorable traits. Again with the disclaimers: My birds are hatchery stock. Not faulting them. Just pointing out that they aren't really bred for temperament. Way too much rambling. Point being - We need to know how much space they have and you really should think about selling/giving away/eating one of the roos.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hello BYC users, I ask for help on some roosters in my coop. I have 2 roosters and 4 hens. 2 hens per rooster. I usually let them out the small cramped coop to let them free range for the afternoon and evening.
I need help on how I can get my older rooster ( buff Orpington) to stop attacking my other rooster without actually having to get rid of one. Any ideas?

"Small cramped coop" & "2 roosters and 4 hens" .....both need correction to alleviate the issue

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Alternatively to increasing space and flock woukd be adding a second setup and managing as two breeding groups kept separate...rotating free range times

 

[aart]

"Small cramped coop" & "2 roosters and 4 hens" .....both need correction to alleviate the issue

Ditto Dat!!^^^

 

[aram-19]

Are the fights severe? It is very common for roos to squabble and spar amongst themselves. Your top roo naturally thinks all the hens are his, so any attempts at mating by your subordinate roo will likely be met with getting a chunk of feathers taken out by your top. This is pretty normal.

If they seriously fight, the only way to eliminate that problem completely is to separate the birds, whether it be in separate coops with hens or bachelor pads. You could also get more hens (which I strongly suggest if you're adamant about keeping both roos). Two roos on four hens could lead to overbreeding and increased competition.

Being me, if the fights are bad and I couldn't get anymore birds or separate accordingly, I'd lose a roo.

No the fights aren’t too bad, the youngest rooster doesn’t want to fight the older rooster but he sure wants mate with the older roosters hens, I might be moving by the end of March into May so I may build 2 coops for them, but I don’t think I might be able to get more hens

 

[aram-19]

You either have to add several more hens, or remove one male. Since you've mentioned your coop is cramped already your choice is made whether or not it's what you want. One male has to go unless you want to build a second coop.

I think I might be moving by the end of March into May with a house with more land, so I will probably build 2 coops.

 

[aram-19]

The space is small but not enough where all the chicken are cramped, I have 2 sections where one roo has his 2 hens and the other roo with his 2 hens. The oldest roo has been taken care of by me since 2014, and the other roo was born on October of 2017. I don’t really like giving away birds/ any animal. But I will soon have more space for all of them to be separated.