Rooster Questions

[Peckyweck01]

Can roosters be in together? do they have to have a certain amount of girls for each one? Will they fight over food/water if I have 2 stations? Will they always fight?

 

[JadeFarms]

Yes roosters can be together. It depends on the roosters, some can have only about six hens per roo while others need 10 hens per roo. Late chickens like brahmas need more hens because of their large size since they can pull the hens feathers out from overbreeding. Since you have two stations they should be fine, watch them just in case. Mine all have 1 place to eat together and I have 3 boys, they do fine.

 

[Peckyweck01]

ok thank you.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Most roosters can be together- even in a flock of only roosters. I’ve successfully kept flocks of 3 roos with 4 hens, 1 roo with 2 hens, 1 roo with 1 hen, etc. However, these were all bantam flocks. I don’t know if ratios like that would work with standard roosters. Two stations wouldn’t hurt, but it’s probably unnecessary unless you have a larger flock. No, they definitely won’t always fight (except for in rare cases) but if you see the occasional scuffle, that’s completely normal and usually not dangerous for the roos.

 

[Peckyweck01]

I have a 10 lb mixed breed roo with 8 hens to himself. I have let them free range but him and my silkie bantam roo got in a fight through the fence. I had to hold pressure on my bantams foot then wrap it. I dont put them in together, just wondering. The bantam roo has 4 hens to himself.

 

[bobbi-j]

There are a lot of variables to consider. How old are they? Were they raised together? Do you have hens as well? How many chickens do you have altogether? Are they all the same age? Do they free range? How much coop/run space (in feet x feet) do they have?

If they're under a year old, your males are considered "cockerels", females "pullets". It may feel like potatoes vs. potahtoes, but it does give a better idea of the ages of your birds. It's also helpful to give their ages in weeks or months. Chickens do have behaviors that are fairly consistent with certain ages. If you have two cockerels that were raised together, they may continue to get along as they mature, if you also have pullets/hens. It would likely be a train wreck if you tried to put two adult roosters together if they were unfamiliar with each other. Especially if there are hens in the mix.

The rooster to hen ratio that is often quoted is what the large hatcheries use to ensure optimum fertility. It really doesn't have much bearing on backyard flocks. You could have one rooster and a dozen hens, and he may still over mate one or two hens.

I have had a few times where I've had two roosters, each with their own flock of hens. I've had them in separate coops yet free ranging together (after a couple of scuffles, they each claimed their own territory), and I've had them in the same coop - again, each with their own flocks, but roosting in separate areas of the coop.

There really isn't a simple answer to this question, but if you can give more information, it will help us give you more answers. The only way to know for sure if it's going to work, is to try it. But be ready to separate them if things get ugly. And things can get ugly fast.

 

[Peckyweck01]

I have a 10 lb mixed breed roo, i let him and his hens out (there are 8 girls) to free range. He has all his girls to himself. He got into a fight with my silkie bantam roo through a fence and my bantam hurt his foot pretty good. I had to wrap it and hold pressure to it. He is fine, it never got infected. He has 4 hens. I had to put the big roo and his flock in for they day because they kept going at it.

 

[Peckyweck01]

There are a lot of variables to consider. How old are they? Were they raised together? Do you have hens as well? How many chickens do you have altogether? Are they all the same age? Do they free range? How much coop/run space (in feet x feet) do they have?

If they're under a year old, your males are considered "cockerels", females "pullets". It may feel like potatoes vs. potahtoes, but it does give a better idea of the ages of your birds. It's also helpful to give their ages in weeks or months. Chickens do have behaviors that are fairly consistent with certain ages. If you have two cockerels that were raised together, they may continue to get along as they mature, if you also have pullets/hens. It would likely be a train wreck if you tried to put two adult roosters together if they were unfamiliar with each other. Especially if there are hens in the mix.

The rooster to hen ratio that is often quoted is what the large hatcheries use to ensure optimum fertility. It really doesn't have much bearing on backyard flocks. You could have one rooster and a dozen hens, and he may still over mate one or two hens.

I have had a few times where I've had two roosters, each with their own flock of hens. I've had them in separate coops yet free ranging together (after a couple of scuffles, they each claimed their own territory), and I've had them in the same coop - again, each with their own flocks, but roosting in separate areas of the coop.

There really isn't a simple answer to this question, but if you can give more information, it will help us give you more answers. The only way to know for sure if it's going to work, is to try it. But be ready to separate them if things get ugly. And things can get ugly fast.

I was just wondering if it would ever be ok. one roo is 4years old, the other roo is 2 or 3 years. They are not in together. Big roo that is 4 has 8 hens, and 72 square feet of run. small roo has 4 hens with a smaller run, but big enough to space out and roam.

 

[Sammy1122]

A vast majority can live together, without fighting or some sorta conflict, I seriously doubt that.Some roosters will continuously run the less dominant bird till it just can’t anymore.they need lots of space escpecially for roosters like that.Birds will fight over any resources.I use to have pair of roosters who only would fight in the spring time, and it would be swift and quick, that was about it.I usually try to rid of an overly aggressive rooster, oen who constantly runs the other off, corners the bird just to torture it.Breed and characteristics also play a big, soem naturally laid back breeds often won’t have any problems. Space and a enough hens to split amongst the roosters will help the situation and keep everyone happy.Your roosters are grown and have been hanging around hens, it’s probably going to take a mariacle first then to get along.Whens females are up for grabs, things can get nasty. I have seen bachelor roosters be able to coexist fine, right off the bat, quick, swift fight, and then it’s over, of course when no females are involved in can get much smoother.

 

[Peckyweck01]

Can someone reply to my thread "Most Common Color" In General Breed discussion Forum. heh heh