Understanding my roosters

[JodiAnderson]

I apologize if this has been asked. I looked and couldn’t find an answer.
I tried to introduce new chickens to my flock. I’ve had the new ones for a month. They have been in earshot and eyesight for that time. My original flock has 4 roosters and the new flock has one. I let them out together, recently, hoping they would get along. I was wrong lol. My oldest rooster went over to the new rooster and crowed. The new one didn’t take it well and a fight broke out. I was worried my other 3 would get involved so I started clapping my hands and slowly walking over to the fightning birds. When they stopped fightning I started calmly talking to them. The 2 boys were still facing each other when my rooster put his head down and started pretending to eat. Then the new rooster did the same thing. My rooster walked away and the new one joined his girls.
My question is, what does this mean? I haven’t let them out together again. I’m hoping it has something to do with thinking I’m in charge .

 

[AidKD]

It sounds like the new one was testing how in charge the old rooster is, and the old rooster wasn't gonna back down from the challenge. It's all about dominance for roosters and there has to be a leader. Which means fighting for their position and then maintaining it by keeping the others scared of him. I'd keep a very close eye on them over the next week or so to make sure there's not a fight to the death. It doesn't sound like that's what it'll turn into, but you never know. I'm sure there'll be small fights for a little while that you won't have to break up, but I'd watch out just the same.

 

[McChooky]

I apologize if this has been asked. I looked and couldn’t find an answer.
I tried to introduce new chickens to my flock. I’ve had the new ones for a month. They have been in earshot and eyesight for that time. My original flock has 4 roosters and the new flock has one. I let them out together, recently, hoping they would get along. I was wrong lol. My oldest rooster went over to the new rooster and crowed. The new one didn’t take it well and a fight broke out. I was worried my other 3 would get involved so I started clapping my hands and slowly walking over to the fightning birds. When they stopped fightning I started calmly talking to them. The 2 boys were still facing each other when my rooster put his head down and started pretending to eat. Then the new rooster did the same thing. My rooster walked away and the new one joined his girls.
My question is, what does this mean? I haven’t let them out together again. I’m hoping it has something to do with thinking I’m in charge .

I raised 2 cockerels almost a year old that I keep contained 99% of the time in the same coop & run combo with 20 chickens . Never seen them fight but even roosters that get along for years can fight to their death if you don't keep a close eye on them.Their testosterone level increases as spring approaches...

 

[McChooky]

I apologize if this has been asked. I looked and couldn’t find an answer.
I tried to introduce new chickens to my flock. I’ve had the new ones for a month. They have been in earshot and eyesight for that time. My original flock has 4 roosters and the new flock has one. I let them out together, recently, hoping they would get along. I was wrong lol. My oldest rooster went over to the new rooster and crowed. The new one didn’t take it well and a fight broke out. I was worried my other 3 would get involved so I started clapping my hands and slowly walking over to the fightning birds. When they stopped fightning I started calmly talking to them. The 2 boys were still facing each other when my rooster put his head down and started pretending to eat. Then the new rooster did the same thing. My rooster walked away and the new one joined his girls.
My question is, what does this mean? I haven’t let them out together again. I’m hoping it has something to do with thinking I’m in charge .

Blending 2 flocks into one isn't as simple as integrating chickens into a flock. I have hens that want nothing to do with either one of my soon to be 1 yr old roosters.They also want little to do with the pullets I added last spring.Chickens form little clicks is why many people prefer to free range them. Giving them all plenty of room proves to solve most problems but then you have predators that'll pick off the ones that wander off alone.Most people find separating their old rooster and giving him a few hens in a separate coop and run is easier than trying to make them get along.

 

[McChooky]

I apologize if this has been asked. I looked and couldn’t find an answer.
I tried to introduce new chickens to my flock. I’ve had the new ones for a month. They have been in earshot and eyesight for that time. My original flock has 4 roosters and the new flock has one. I let them out together, recently, hoping they would get along. I was wrong lol. My oldest rooster went over to the new rooster and crowed. The new one didn’t take it well and a fight broke out. I was worried my other 3 would get involved so I started clapping my hands and slowly walking over to the fightning birds. When they stopped fightning I started calmly talking to them. The 2 boys were still facing each other when my rooster put his head down and started pretending to eat. Then the new rooster did the same thing. My rooster walked away and the new one joined his girls.
My question is, what does this mean? I haven’t let them out together again. I’m hoping it has something to do with thinking I’m in charge .

I decided today to re-home one of my young roosters and giving him to a friend along with 3-4 of his favorite hens .One or both of my roosters are starting to peck the hens in the heads when she/they mate the other rooster

 

[Stephine]

Combining your two groups is a bad idea. It’s not always possible to have two roosters in a flock, let alone more than that. Your all rooster flock can get along because there are no hens. Add hens to the mix and the fighting starts. Even if by some miracle your roosters were to all get along, you’d have way too many roosters for your number of hens. The only sensible option is to keep the two flocks separate.

 

[Stephine]

Sorry, it’s late and I think I misunderstood. Can you tell us more about the number of HENS in each flock? I got the impression that your original flock was a bachelor flock, but maybe not? If you do have a *ton* of hens and a ton of space and separate coops or a truly huge coop, I could see “combining” them. Only because they could basically have enough room to split up into separate flocks…

 

[McChooky]

Blending 2 flocks into one isn't as simple as integrating chickens into a flock. I have hens that want nothing to do with either one of my soon to be 1 yr old roosters.They also want little to do with the pullets I added last spring.Chickens form little clicks is why many people prefer to free range them. Giving them all plenty of room proves to solve most problems but then you have predators that'll pick off the ones that wander off alone.Most people find separating their old rooster and giving him a few hens in a separate coop and run is easier than trying to make them get along.

Unless you separate these chickens into multiple flocks you're likely to have a blood bath by spring with 5 roosters.Its natural for younger roosters to be submissive to the older rooster until they're older but now you've added a new flock and rooster. Eventually they'll all challenge each other because having 5 roosters in a flock isn't natural.The flock needs one leader.

 

[JodiAnderson]

I raised 2 cockerels almost a year old that I keep contained 99% of the time in the same coop & run combo with 20 chickens . Never seen them fight but even roosters that get along for years can fight to their death if you don't keep a close eye on them.Their testosterone level increases as spring approaches...

All but one rooster is going in the freezer this weekend. I was just curious if they stopped fighting because of me. Or if they were just done and I happened to walk up at the right time

 

[JodiAnderson]

Blending 2 flocks into one isn't as simple as integrating chickens into a flock. I have hens that want nothing to do with either one of my soon to be 1 yr old roosters.They also want little to do with the pullets I added last spring.Chickens form little clicks is why many people prefer to free range them. Giving them all plenty of room proves to solve most problems but then you have predators that'll pick off the ones that wander off alone.Most people find separating their old rooster and giving him a few hens in a separate coop and run is easier than trying to make them get along.

They are currently in seperate coop. I had let them out to freerange hopping a mint of hearing and seeing each other would be enough. I realize I need to give them more time. It’s mainly putting the hens from the 2 flocks together. All but one rooster is going to freezer camp in a couple of days