Roosters are fighting

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

So we hatched some eggs this year. One hatch was 11 chicks. We separated five of the 11 after hatching with another group that hatched shortly thereafter. That left six. One turned out to be a pullet and the other five are roosters. The five roosters were kept in a bachelor pad since we took the pullet out as they started realizing she was a she. The other five have all been getting along great up until just recently. They have started fighting. At what point is it not fighting for their place in the pecking order anymore and trying to kill each other? They are all nice roosters in my opinion. I believe 8 months old now. They've never attempted to flog us but occasionally we get a peck or a bite, and scratches from their toenails. But otherwise to me, they are good roosters. We have had to separate them two, two and one. All within sight of each other but in separate areas during the daytime. I know they're just at that age where the hormones are kicking in. One of them was so sweet and definitely not on the top of the pecking order, but they have bullied him so much that he goes over the fence and runs away. We want to electrify around the top of the fence but I'm not so sure if that will work since when they fly up to go over the fence, their feet won't be on the ground so I don't know if it will shock them or not? He has come back a few times and we have gone out and found him and caught him a few times. They all sleep together and do just fine after a few minutes of fussing. I know a lot of you are going to say freezer camp or Crock-Pot, neither of which I can personally do myself. But if it comes down to it and I absolutely have to, I'm sure I can find somebody that will. I'd prefer to find somebody that would like a nice rooster to protect their hens. I just need some advice please whether they are fighting or trying to kill each other.

 

[50-45-1]

Yes, they are fighting and could severely injure or fight to the death in cases.
My extra roosters get a ride to an Amish farm where get cleaned and dressed for me for a fee.
Some people keep extra groups of rooster in a "bachelor pad" for life.
Personaly, that seems more cruel than the "clean and dress" option. As what kind of life is that? Plus the feed and housing expense for years. No thanks.
I keep one good rooster, my barnyard is peaceful, my hens are not ran ragged, and they have all their featers on their backs.
good luck whatever your decision.

 

[RubelliteRose]

Are they sparring or fighting?
We have 2 half brother roosters who sparred their first year to determine dominance. Sparring involved fluffing up and jumping at each other, but little to no physical contact made. In their second year, there were a couple of sparring incidents and now that they are 3, I have not seen any sparring.
Fighting, in my opinion, involves blood. With our other half brother pair last year, the dominant cockerel definitely tried to kill his brother. He continued to attack when Ezra tried to submit by crawling under him and when Ezra tried to run away. In our case, we decided to cull the dominant cockerel. We wanted to keep a third rooster and Ezra has fit in well with the older boys - no sparring or fighting. We always keep an eye out to make sure peace is maintained.
If your boys are just sparring, they might be able to work out a pecking order. If they are fighting, you should think about giving some of them away and only keeping ones that get along.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

That one rooster that keeps running away - I would not keep putting him back in with the others. They will kill him eventually. If you can't re-home him, find someone who will put him down for you. See if there is a meat processing place near you that will do it. People who hunt need a place like that to process their deer or whatever and maybe they will do your rooster(s) for you.

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

Are they sparring or fighting?
We have 2 half brother roosters who sparred their first year to determine dominance. Sparring involved fluffing up and jumping at each other, but little to no physical contact made. In their second year, there were a couple of sparring incidents and now that they are 3, I have not seen any sparring.
Fighting, in my opinion, involves blood. With our other half brother pair last year, the dominant cockerel definitely tried to kill his brother. He continued to attack when Ezra tried to submit by crawling under him and when Ezra tried to run away. In our case, we decided to cull the dominant cockerel. We wanted to keep a third rooster and Ezra has fit in well with the older boys - no sparring or fighting. We always keep an eye out to make sure peace is maintained.
If your boys are just sparring, they might be able to work out a pecking order. If they are fighting, you should think about giving some of them away and only keeping ones that get along.

There is definitely physical contact. Usually one of them will grab another by the neck feathers and sometimes even climb on top of them like he's trying to hold the other one down. There has never been any blood. I would love to find them a good home where they could be actually used as a rooster to protect a flock of hens, but it seems no one wants roosters these days. There are two out of the five that are the main aggressors. I may just have to try to find them a home and tell the new home To just not tell me what their plans are for them. We had a lot of roosters hatched of course. Right now we have 12 roosters in with 30 hens which is way too many roosters so I'm going to have to find homes for most of them as well but they all get along with each other no problem, and I can walk in the coop /run at any time. And never worry about any evidence flogging me. The hens all seem to be doing well, even with so many roosters in there. There's no bald patches on their backs or feathers pulled out but as soon as I can find homes for them I have to do that too. It just breaks my heart to see so many roosters born and killed every year just because they were born boys. But I know that's the circle of life when it comes to roosters. Darn it!!

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

That one rooster that keeps running away - I would not keep putting him back in with the others. They will kill him eventually. If you can't re-home him, find someone who will put him down for you. See if there is a meat processing place near you that will do it. People who hunt need a place like that to process their deer or whatever and maybe they will do your rooster(s) for you.

One that keeps running away. We are keeping him separated from the others for now. Unfortunately I just don't have it in my heart to have him culled and processed So I guess it has come to the point that I'm going to have to find someone who is willing to take The others and do with them what they see fit.

 

[Mrs. K]

Maybe you should not hatch any more. I often think very tender hearted people should not raise chickens. Chickens are not tender hearted and never seem to realize if they would all just be nice, they could all stay.

Contact your county extension agent for poultry clubs and 4 h groups. There will be crazy chicken peoples that might be able to help you.

Mrs K

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

Cull isn't code for kill. It means to select something, both to keep or to remove. It just so happens that occasionally some animals are dispatched for food, or because they're suffering.

Not all roosters will be -good- roosters. They aren't all guaranteed to treat hens well or protect them.
Hens can also protect the flock, and warn about predators (mine have, even at 3 months). So for most people, the only use of a rooster is to look pretty, fertilize eggs, and sing.

Your hens don't get to pick what males you lock them up with.
If my cockerel was human aggressive, he'd be gone. If he harmed his flock, he'd be gone. But he is a good bird, so he stays.
Humanely dispatching a bad bird so it becomes a nourishing meal, or compost for a garden, is far less cruel than forcing birds together where they're constantly stressed and fighting.

By taking care of animals, you are committing to what is best for them. All of them. And sometimes, as much as you might hate it, that does mean making the decision you don't want to think about.
You can make it easier for yourself in the future by not hatching eggs, only raising sex-linked or auto-sexing confirmed pullets, and figuring out what to do with your 17+ cockerels/roosters.

 

[chooki]

I just need some advice please whether they are fighting or trying to kill each other.

Fight for dominance can be brutal. I have a small rooster flock, going into the 4th year in a couple of months time. I add and remove roosters as new ones grow up or handsome boys find other good homes. It does not happen often, maybe once a year.

My advice would be: free ranging or having a very large coop helps, provide hiding/escaping space can alleviate the severity of the fights. Personally, I have places that about a meter above the ground, around a rooster's height and open in at least 3 directions, my defeated roos usually hide up there for lengthy period. These were inside roosters coop and they can be locked up a few days at a time (they also free range a good portion of other times). You need to make sure that a rooster can not be cornered at those hiding places.

Providing visual barriers also helps.

My roosters are usually good together, although they still occasionally fight, and some fights can be bloody.

So far, there wasn't any death or permanent injury due to fighting between 2 flock mates.