Roosters who were living peacefully, randomly started fighting.

[BrittanyG]

As I've often said, size isn't important, it's the spirit of the rooster. It's not that unusual for the smaller one to be the dominant one. And thanks for the information that they got along for two years before starting fighting. That's good info.

My guess is that when they were free ranging they each had their own territory, but when you locked them together they had to share territory. The serious fighting started. It sounds like they are still locked in the run so they cannot go back to their established territories.

If you can turn them loose so they can get back to their territories the fighting may stop. But until then I'd try housing them separately so they can't fight.

Thank you. Yes I believe that's the main problem. They haven't been free ranging daily like they were before, I just let them out less because I've been losing them to predators recently. They're safe with my 3 large dogs as long as they stay inside the fenced part of the yard where they are, but of course you know they love to roam. My dogs still alert me when they hear a disturbance in the flock but they're confined and can't do anything about it. I would leave the gate open so my dogs could stay with them and protect the, but I have a neighbor with an aggressive Pit Bull that tends to come on my property often. It's very annoying because it's always picking fights with my dogs even through the fence. I'm going to give them a separate living space but still let both flocks free range, and hopefully they'll stay out of each others way then.

 

[BrittanyG]

Thank you all for your help and advice! It is greatly appreciated!!

 

[aart]

I'm going to give them a separate living space but still let both flocks free range, and hopefully they'll stay out of each others way then.

Could always free range them on alternate days.

 

[centrarchid]

That's what I'm going to do for sure. I'm going to move the game rooster in his own living space and he has a few hens that have a strong bond with him so they're going with him for sure.

You should have indicated clearly a game rooster is involved. It is not just a hormone issue.

 

[BrittanyG]

Could always free range them on alternate days.

That's a good idea too. Thank you.

 

[BrittanyG]

You should have indicated clearly a game rooster is involved. It is not just a hormone issue.

I did indicate clearly in my first reply as well as a couple other replies my game rooster was one of the two involved. In the two years I've had him he's never caused problems. And I'm not sure which of the two started this.

 

[centrarchid]

I did indicate clearly in my first reply as well as a couple other replies my game rooster was one of the two involved. In the two years I've had him he's never caused problems. And I'm not sure which of the two started this.

It was in the second post you made.

Despite the game roosters smaller size, he will not back down. Isolate him from other rooster and make so they cannot fight through whatever separates the birds. The game rooster will either kill the larger rooster or die trying if not separated properly.

 

[BrittanyG]

It was in the second post you made.

Despite the game roosters smaller size, he will not back down. Isolate him from other rooster and make so they cannot fight through whatever separates the birds. The game rooster will either kill the larger rooster or die trying if not separated properly.

Actually as I said it was in my first REPLY. On the first comment. Not that it matters.. But I did state a few times there was a game rooster involved in the comments. They were separated completely not long after I made this original post. The game rooster is with his hens in their own pen in the opposite side of the yard. Luckily I still had my old coop and run in the back yard and all I had to do is patch it in a few places. It is slightly smaller than my pen for my big flock but it will be fine for the game rooster and his few hens. The roosters can't even see each other now and will have no contact unless they are free ranging together but I will probably do as someone suggested in the comments and alternate their free range days to prevent anymore fighting.

 

[BrittanyG]

I posted this thread to get advice/ suggestions on what to do about the situation. Not to get snarky remarks about the way I posted or what information I SHOULD have given (even though it was already there). I appreciate everyone on here who offered friendly advice instead of trying to criticize me about it. Neither of my roosters suffered and serious injuries as I caught onto the problem and solved it quickly. They are living separate now and I have had no more issues in my flock since. Again thank you to everyone who offered friendly advice without a bad attitude.

 

[centrarchid]

I posted this thread to get advice/ suggestions on what to do about the situation. Not to get snarky remarks about the way I posted or what information I SHOULD have given (even though it was already there). I appreciate everyone on here who offered friendly advice instead of trying to criticize me about it. Neither of my roosters suffered and serious injuries as I caught onto the problem and solved it quickly. They are living separate now and I have had no more issues in my flock since. Again thank you to everyone who offered friendly advice without a bad attitude.

Not worth effort