Roosters in Their Own Space?

[dogkahuna]

Has anyone tried penning a flock of roosters within sight and sound of hens? We've got a hen incubating eggs and I'd rather put the extra roos in their own pen/tractor to work our soil than get rid of them. We've got our first flock (1 roo, 10 hens) and the next flock (however many females and one select male) which will be in separate coops/pens. If we pen the extra roos by themselves in a third pen, will they fight even though no hens will be within 20 yards or more?

 

[azygous]

Actually, what you're contemplating is very good flock management, and a lot of us pen our boys separately when we have a surplus of roos.

I've found that roosters are quite content just being able to watch the girls go about their business even though they can't have access. They're far less likely to fight among themselves when they don't all have access to the hens.

 

[dogkahuna]

Thanks, Azygous! After reading your great article on raising chicks outside, I've decided to wheel our mobile coop over next to the first flock's pen so the newly-hatched chicks can watch and learn from the get-go.

 

[sweetbeak]

I have a separate are for 6 roos, they free range on about half an acre with their own house to go to at night. The hens live next to them on about an acre and they can see each other during the day but no access. With my hens i have my top roo and the whole situation works out fine. The boys occasionally flare up their neck feathers to each other but that's all, no fighting at all. Everyone seems to live a content life, and if I have any young roos hatched from a broody hen once they are old enough they will head to the bachelor pad. Works like a dream.

 

[dogkahuna]

Okay, we're going to do a 'bachelor tractor' here. I don't like using our tractor for laying hens because I find their eggs on the ground, but the boys can use it full-time. I'll just surround it with electro-net and park it next to a wall when it gets cold in winter.