uncontrollable chickens...please help!!!

[3hens2roosters]

We are new to the chicken raising scene and have definitely had a run for our money. We have 3 hens and 2 roosters around 4 1/2 months old. The roosters have always been good around eachother until recently, the one just chases the other one away constantly trying to attack him. So the other rooster leaves all day (i think to the fields next door) and comes back at night to sleep. They go to sleep together fine but as soon as they leave the coop it starts again. Then they all keep leaving the yard. We have tried putting up fences, spikes, everything but they keep leaving and roaming the neighborhood. They will be great for awhile and stay in but then they start again. One minute they are sweet and loving and the next minute they will attack us and bite us. We have had them since they were a day old and have held them and loved them but we just dont know what to do with them now. Any suggestions???

 

[justbugged]

It sounds like perfectly normal young roo behavior. There isn't much you can do to change it. You will need to contain them into a run if you don't want them running all over the neighborhood.

 

[OregonChickenGal]

You'll probably have to get rid of the aggressive rooster. They're fighting over the hens. 2 roosters for just 3 hens is way to many.

 

[bburn]

This is what we are waiting on with our roo's. We have at least 7 out of 29. We are watching closely now for the hormones to start kicking in.....then we will cull. We do not free range however because of neighbors dogs....we are on three acres so we probably have more than the dogs to worry about....hawks for sure. Am working on DH to get me a pvc tractor build to grow out said roo's.

Just a choice you have to make when you end up with too many roo's.

 

[Oven Ready]

I have to agree - BBQ, soup, stew, give him away - whatever you prefer. They can be merciless in removing the competition for breeding and they don't often get to the stage of 'well I've beaten him up every day for the past three weeks he won't try to mate with the girls, so he can stay here in peace' it's just not in their nature.

The wandering off could be because you don't have enough cover for them in your yard (cover from ariel predators - even if you don't have any ariel predators - the chickens won't know that).

If the hens are pecking you, that's a problem; they may have learned it from the aggressive cockerel. If it's just the aggressive cockerel, then keep the one that gets chased away, he's probably less aggressive and might calm the hens down. If they continue to attack you then five months is a good size for cooking and then start over again. You will get a nice friendly flock in the end.

What breed of chicken do you have, some people will know what are more aggressive breeds and what are more friendly breeds and might post further advice.

 

[ShrekDawg]

i agree, it sounds like normal roo behavior, like someone said, theyre fighting over the hens and 2 roos is way too many for only 3 hens so i think you have to get rid of the aggressive one, sorry.

good luck though!

 

[journey11]

I found my hens settled down and roamed less after I got rid of ALL my roos. I love having one around--they are so handsome and there are many reasons for keeping them. But when they try to flog my toddler, it's time to go bye-bye. When you have no roo, the hens see you as their leader and they will crouch and submit to you when you approach them. They'll follow you more and look to you to bring them treats. This has made my hens more enjoyable for us. But everybody has their own purposes and yours may include wanting to keep at least one roo. But either way, your roo to hen ratio is bad--one should definitely go.

 

[sunnychooks]

The most commonly accepted rule of thumb is 8 - 10 hens for every rooster. You can always get more hens!!!

All kidding aside, you may be better off with no rooster at all. The hens will still lay eggs and unless you want baby chicks there is no reason to have a roo (although they are pretty to look at).
How big is your property? If you have close neighbors who don't want wandering chickens you might have to enclose them in a chicken yard. There is really no way to teach a chicken territorial boundaries.

 

[mstricer]

Some of my girls leave the yard as soon as they see my neighbor digging in her yard. A gang of 4 or 5 go over and hang out with her most of the day. They are the best looking birds, she must have magic bugs.

 

[duck walk]

I have 14 chickens, 5 of them pullets...the rooster wars began 2 days ago after they began crowing last week...tonight we sort and put the freezer camp boys in a different pen...I would like to keep 2 roos but with only 5 females, that will probably be 1 too many... roosters are plentiful and if I lose the 1, it probably would not be too hard to replace him...roosters will be roosters...and it is all about breeding rights with the babes...