Rooster Housing?

[RazrRebel]

Just needing some info on housing roosters. I live in Southwest Va. near the Kentucky, West Viginia border. Everyone that has fighting roosters keeps them in a really small enclosure. Sometimes wire with a tarp for the roof, and sometimes just a 55 gallon barrel cut out. Usually the wire footprint is about 3' by 3'. I know they have to keep them separate because they fight them. My question is I have 5 different breeds of egg layers. I supposed to have one rooster each so later I can breed some back as purebreds. Will I need to have separate cages for my roosters also? Before anybody jumps and says thats not enough room and its not humane. I really don't condone the fighting but honestly even in the small cage without a run they're usually the best looking chickens you'll ever see. Just needin a little info on housing the roosters or can I just keep em all together?

 

[farmer9989]

they are right on for keeping one rooster,or you could keep the rooster and few hens in a say 6/6 for breeding.
Larger the better .
you cant keep a bunch of roosters together they will fight and dominate the weaker ones.

 

[RazrRebel]

So for my roosters I should be able to put them out just like they do the fighting roosters? I know they don't have a run and are more exposed, but every one I have seen is beautiful and in great shape. Just making sure this would work for standard roos!

 

[gladahmae]

I have a layer coop and I have rooster coop right now. The boys stay in their own coop and I have yet to have a fight (and they're almost 8mo old, so they're in the height of "hormonal" behavior). Of course, they were hatched brooded/raised together, but my understanding is that as long as they don't have any girls to fight over, they will establish a pecking order and be fine. Fighting/aggressive breeds are a different story. Mine are all dual-purpose birds.

 

[Cknldy]

I also live in the sw va area. I was drawing up plans for a rooster coop and a winter hen house. The coops each breed has now will be used for breeding pens but summer coops are also in the plan book. I don't do cages with my chickens so plan to build a breeding pen type building with bottom half of runs divided by plywood so roos won't fight through wire. Saw it on here somewhere. I've heard that fighting cocks are very well tended to but shot full of meds so that may be why they look so healthy. I don't condone it myself but realize it is still very popular in this area. I will not sell to anyone I suspect of doing it either.

 

[KatD]

Most roosters can be kept together if there are no hens and they are introduced before crowning.

 

[AngryRooster]

I think one or two roosters ought to be fine per coop, depending on how many hens you have. Roosters tend to fight over hens (at least one of mine did) and territory if there isn't enough space in your run or backyard.

 

[Going Quackers]

We have two bachelor flocks here, they do not have access to any hens/pullets. Now, the two sets have been raised with the others from the get-go so that likely helps. Having bachelor flocks is not uncommon that said i don't know how mature roosters NOT raised together would fair, especially those used for breeding.

 

[dschoey]

How do they keep fighting roosters safe? I've seen the circle of wire cage surrounding those big plastic drums with a hole cut in them, but I don't understand how this would protect the bird from predators. Is there a guard dog or something I'm missing?
I will soon be incubating a few dozen Wyandottes, the pullets for layers and the cockerels for the table. I have two runs but only one coop. I'm trying to figure out how to give the cocks some shelter and also keep them from fighting for the 12-16 weeks until they're ready to go to the butchers.
My question is do I put them all in separate cages and if so what's an easy/adequate way to create 10-20 safe and humane bachelor pads?
Thanks,
Diane

 

[Egghead_Jr]

They wont have real fights at that age. A cockerel may be hitting sexual maturity by 16 weeks but if housed all together away from the females they'll get along just fine at much older. I grow out my cockerels and pullets together without any problems, as they are running out of space I cull a bunch of males at 12 weeks then a few more at 16 weeks. At 16 weeks my pullets go into the layer pen and any remaining cockerels stay in grow out pen until I decide which I'll breed with or until I eat them. 20 weeks is most I grow a cockerel for a oven roaster. I've kept them longer before and didn't see much if any return for feed going to 24 or 26 weeks.

Cockerel aggression is hormonal. Needs to be sexually mature and needs females to fight over. If your run and coop are large enough with enough hens you can keep two roosters with your hens. I only keep one with hens per pen myself for breeding.