Two roosters together

[WillGriffin03]

Hi,

I'm thinking of purchasing an ancona rooster and hen but I also have a bantam phoenix rooster, I have 14 hens, is that enough? Will they fight? Can I do that?

Hope you can help,
William

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

This is one of those situations that may or may not work out -- while it is generally advised to have 8-10 hens per rooster, even that doesn't guarantee peaceful coexistence. Are your birds confined in a coop and run setup or are they able to free-range for all or part of the day? If confined, what are the dimensions, in feet, for the area they live in? How old is the existing rooster and how old is the potential new rooster? What approach do you plan to use to integrate the new birds? Do you have the potential for a "plan b" if things do not work out - either a separate housing unit or removing one of the two from the flock?

 

[WillGriffin03]

This is one of those situations that may or may not work out -- while it is generally advised to have 8-10 hens per rooster, even that doesn't guarantee peaceful coexistence. Are your birds confined in a coop and run setup or are they able to free-range for all or part of the day? If confined, what are the dimensions, in feet, for the area they live in? How old is the existing rooster and how old is the potential new rooster? What approach do you plan to use to integrate the new birds? Do you have the potential for a "plan b" if things do not work out - either a separate housing unit or removing one of the two from the flock?

Hi Ol Grey Mare,

My birds every day are let out for several hours and when they're not their coop is 56 square metres, my existing rooster is around 2 years but is a bantam and the new rooster is 5 months but a standard size Ancona, I'll let them see each other through a cage and then introduce them. My plan B is to sell him if things don't work out.

 

[WillGriffin03]

This is one of those situations that may or may not work out -- while it is generally advised to have 8-10 hens per rooster, even that doesn't guarantee peaceful coexistence.  Are your birds confined in a coop and run setup or are they able to free-range for all or part of the day?  If confined, what are the dimensions, in feet, for the area they live in?  How old is the existing rooster and how old is the potential new rooster?  What approach do you plan to use to integrate the new birds?  Do you have the potential for a "plan b" if things do not work out - either a separate housing unit or removing one of the two from the flock? 

what do you think?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Many times 2 roosters will fight more than 3 or more because they will focus only on each other.

You won't really know if it will work until you try it. All roosters have different personalities and tolerance of other roosters. Give it a try. Just have a backup plan in place and be ready to separate if they fight. You may not have problems until next spring when the younger rooster will feel more confident.

It can help to keep a rooster penned where the existing rooster can interact through the fence. Often pecking order can work itself out this way. Sometimes it takes multiple times of releasing them and penning them before they get along. Most aggression will occur in spring as hormones are surging.

 

[Peeps61]

I have two roosters who were hatched and raised together with the flock. They are peaceful most of the time, but they do spar with each other. One is clearly dominate and the other will run from him after a few passes with his spurs. I'd try it, following the advice of the OP's and if it doesn't work out, you can sell the other as you plan in your plan B. You won't know unless you try.

 

[DunnoWhatImDoin]

I was coming here to ask this exact question. I have quite a large welsummer rooster, he has 6 wives. I have three little bantams and was thinking of getting a bantam rooster for them. I'd be getting another three bantam hens too so he'd have 6 little wives.

They'd all be in together, two coops but one enclosed run of 124 square foot. Another run on grass about 400 square foot would be open to them during the day and then they'd have free range of a large garden/orchard a few days a week too.

 

[WillGriffin03]

Thank you all for the help!