What Rooster Breed for Mixed Coop

[HexG]

Hello: So This summer I introduced a few new chickens to my existing flock, I had 3 leghorns and added another Leghorn, one barred rock, one australorp and one Easter Egger. My existing Leghorns behaved well and did not do much bullying, they where quick to welcome the new chickens in. after a few weeks, the Australorp became a big bully and started peking the EE to the point, i had to separate my EE due to a bloody back. Once i removed the EE, the australorp started bullying another Leghorn. I had to take the australorp out of the coop for a few weeks in order to re-introuduce and hopefully she will be lower in the peking order. Things where going well for a few months but once again the same thing happened the australorp keeps fighting with everyone, i remove the bully chicken once again and they i find they are all pecking each other now.
Based on some reading I've been doing, I may need to get a rooster to keep them in check now my question is, what would be a good Rooster breed that will get along with different breed of chickens? any suggestions? Ive ben looking in to a silkie rooster but i was reading the may be too docile and get bullied by other chickens.
any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[shedinator]

Would you like to breed any of your current flock? If so, would you want their offspring to be purebred? I'm guessing the latter doesn't matter too much if you're considering a silkie roo.

If breed doesn't matter for reproduction purposes, then I don't think it matters much at all. You want a healthy rooster who dominates his hens without being human-aggressive. Best thing to do would be contact some local breeders and find out if they have any fellas in need of their own flocks. Whereabouts are you?

 

[HexG]

Would you like to breed any of your current flock? If so, would you want their offspring to be purebred? I'm guessing the latter doesn't matter too much if you're considering a silkie roo.

If breed doesn't matter for reproduction purposes, then I don't think it matters much at all. You want a healthy rooster who dominates his hens without being human-aggressive. Best thing to do would be contact some local breeders and find out if they have any fellas in need of their own flocks. Whereabouts are you?

I have no interest to breed my flock, my only interest is egg production. you are abosulety right i do want a dominant rooster thats not human aggressive.
I live in Hacienda Heights, CA

 

[shedinator]

I have no interest to breed my flock, my only interest is egg production. you are abosulety right i do want a dominant rooster thats not human aggressive.
I live in Hacienda Heights, CA

I'd either post in the classifieds here, or find a poultry exchange facebook group for your area, or both. You're looking for a reputable breeder who is willing to sell adult (or at least juvenile) fowl.

 

[HexG]

I'd either post in the classifieds here, or find a poultry exchange facebook group for your area, or both. You're looking for a reputable breeder who is willing to sell adult (or at least juvenile) fowl.

Thanks for your advice, I will do that.

 

[RoosterML]

I just added 2 Orpington roosters a week ago and very pleased with them. No aggression towards me at all. I think aggression towards humans is in how they are handled while being raised. While I have seen a rooster come over to settle a squabble between hens. I have never seen one do anything when it's roost time. I find it amusing the hens sometimes fight on who goes where and the rooster just sets down and tries to keep out of the way. Including these two new Roosters that 3 Orpingtons I have had and all 3 are great.
Hope this helps.
I will just add that all three of the roosters have come from basically a mom and daughter enjoying hatching eggs and of course can't keep every chooks or rooster so they give them away. Needless to say I am sure they are handled often while growing.

 

[aart]

I doubt your pecking/aggression problem will be solved by adding a male bird...
...unless it's a very special bird that you will be very lucky to find.
It could just increase the chaos.

I'm one to find out what the problem really is before suggesting a solution.
First thing with chickens fighting is to look at space.
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would really help here.

The next thing is nutrition.
What all, and how exactly, are you feeding?

How old are all the birds?
How long since you added the new ones?

Oh, and, Welcome to BYC!!
Thanks for adding your location, that's always a big help in understanding the situation.

 

[mandelyn]

Before adding a new bird there are some things to rule out as the cause. Their space and diet namely. It can take up to 3 months for a group to settle in with new additions, even then you may still notice sub-flocks within a flock. A rooster may very well choose one of those sub flocks as his favorites.

There is a risk of the bully hen getting on the rooster's good side and him still allowing her to be that way. Roosters will keep favorites.

 

[HexG]

I doubt your pecking/aggression problem will be solved by adding a male bird...
...unless it's a very special bird that you will be very lucky to find.
It could just increase the chaos.

I'm one to find out what the problem really is before suggesting a solution.
First thing with chickens fighting is to look at space.
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would really help here.

The next thing is nutrition.
What all, and how exactly, are you feeding?

How old are all the birds?
How long since you added the new ones?

Oh, and, Welcome to BYC!!
Thanks for adding your location, that's always a big help in understanding the situation.

The coop is 12X14 feet the roost area has more than enough roost poles for each chicken, they dont seem to have a problem when it comes to roost just during the day.
i dont think space is an issue since trough out the day i open the coop and they are allowed to roam free in my back yard, i have a 10,000sq foot yard with plenty of greens, Ive noticed the australorp will purposely fetch out a specific hen to start the pecking.
I have a large feeder in the coop and they get scratch feed with Purina Layena crumbs, I always make sure that is full. although i notice the barred rock and EE like to forage a lot compared to the other hens(leghorns) which tend to stick near the feeder more. They all go back in to the coop right before sunset and get to roost with no problems, they all seem to have their selected spot by now and there is no squabble there.
Ive had the Original Leghorns for about 3 years now and they are great layers. At first i assumed they would not tolerate the new chickens, but after about a week of them checking and asserting their dominance over the new hens everything was ok.
The new chickens where added Early this June. and the problem is among the new ones (since the australorp can't mess with the Leghorns) ,they where all introduced in to the coop at the same time they where roughly 3months old when introduced. And although i know the australorp is the problem, once i remove her not another of the young flock will start bullying the others.
thank you for the help and for the welcome to BYC

 

[aart]

Well, sure doesn't sound like space is an issue.
12x14 is huge(great!) for 7 birds!

Hmmmm...so the pecking is all amongst the newer group?
The Aussie starts it but the others will start once the Aussie is removed?
Is any one bird being targeted...or is it a free for all with everyone pecking everyone??
Has this been going on since you got them in June or a newer development?
Do the fights start around the feeder?
Not sure it's part of the issue but layer feed is typically lower in protein and the scratch can lower that further. Depending on the forage available, lots of bugs and variety of greens, the feed nutrition may not play a huge part.

Just some thoughts...what a PITA the have nasty hen fighting.
With all that space, a good cockbird actually might help solve the issue.