What should I do for my antisocial roosters? Are there any other types of bird that could provide better enrichment?

[MinervaTheHen]

Hello, I’m not sure if this is the right spot for this question but I figured it was my best bet.

A while back I bought four straight run bantam chicks at my local feed store (complete impulse buy, they were very cute), and as luck would have it, all four ended up being roosters. I posted somewhere on this site a while back about one of them, which I named Lucifer, and his aggression issues. Surprisingly, after some confinement and then a few weeks of mothering from one of my favorite broody hens, little Luci has integrated into the big flock just fine. However, his siblings have not.

The remaining three are very friendly and social with me and each other, but have no interest in the other chickens. They don’t even show any mating urges so far. They rarely leave the coop despite my run being quite large, and I don’t see them eating or drinking as much as they should be. I don’t think it’s a bullying problem as my flock is very diverse and mostly consists of elderly hens and peace-loving ducks. I haven’t noticed any pulled feathers or cuts. When I watch them, they don’t respond or ‘talk’ to the other birds at all, just to each other. All I can think is that they just don’t like the other chickens. For context, the only exposure these three Roos had to other chickens for the first few weeks of their lives was fairly negative, and I spent lots of time with them to the point that one of them would become very distressed when I left.

I’m planning on building a separate coop and run for them, which I was going to do anyway as I don’t want four roosters in my main flock. I was wondering if there was any other bird that might make a good neighbor for them. They aren’t aggressive at all, even around things smaller than them, and all three are pretty tiny anyway. I think they would get bored/lonely in a completely isolated coop, but clearly chickens aren’t their thing. I don’t want anything that will try to join their little trio, but a non-aggressive flock of something else that would stay out of their way would be nice. Just enough to keep them from completely retreating into their own little rooster world and maybe encourage them to explore and leave the coop a bit. Has anyone had this experience before? Would pigeons or doves maybe work?

The winters are pretty cold here but this coop will be heated and can be built to whatever size/shape any possible secondary bird would need. I can do an aviary, large run, pool, or larger indoor area. I want the best for my little socially awkward roosters and am definitely willing to work a little harder to make that happen!

Here’s a picture of them (they are way smaller than this photo makes them look):

 

[Mrs. K]

I think a separate enclosure will be enough. I would not try and add other birds of any kind. Most species tends not to pay any attention to different species, it is almost like they cannot see them. If they do not interact with your current flock, they are not going to do so with another type of bird.

However, I am thinking they are quite young. There is a tendency to think with cockerels, that "how they are acting today, will be like they are acting next week." and that is not true.

They may continue to get along, and they may not. Being raised together has almost no influence on behavior in chickens. They may fight once and settle it, or may have ongoing fights for days. They may fight, then a long period of not fighting, and then a terrible fight.

They may become very interested in the laying flock, and want to fight that rooster.

Roosters are a crapshoot.

Good luck.

Mrs K

 

[NatJ]

Hello, I’m not sure if this is the right spot for this question but I figured it was my best bet.

A while back I bought four straight run bantam chicks at my local feed store (complete impulse buy, they were very cute), and as luck would have it, all four ended up being roosters. I posted somewhere on this site a while back about one of them, which I named Lucifer, and his aggression issues. Surprisingly, after some confinement and then a few weeks of mothering from one of my favorite broody hens, little Luci has integrated into the big flock just fine. However, his siblings have not.

The remaining three are very friendly and social with me and each other, but have no interest in the other chickens. They don’t even show any mating urges so far. They rarely leave the coop despite my run being quite large, and I don’t see them eating or drinking as much as they should be. I don’t think it’s a bullying problem as my flock is very diverse and mostly consists of elderly hens and peace-loving ducks. I haven’t noticed any pulled feathers or cuts. When I watch them, they don’t respond or ‘talk’ to the other birds at all, just to each other. All I can think is that they just don’t like the other chickens. For context, the only exposure these three Roos had to other chickens for the first few weeks of their lives was fairly negative, and I spent lots of time with them to the point that one of them would become very distressed when I left.

I’m planning on building a separate coop and run for them, which I was going to do anyway as I don’t want four roosters in my main flock. I was wondering if there was any other bird that might make a good neighbor for them. They aren’t aggressive at all, even around things smaller than them, and all three are pretty tiny anyway. I think they would get bored/lonely in a completely isolated coop, but clearly chickens aren’t their thing. I don’t want anything that will try to join their little trio, but a non-aggressive flock of something else that would stay out of their way would be nice. Just enough to keep them from completely retreating into their own little rooster world and maybe encourage them to explore and leave the coop a bit. Has anyone had this experience before? Would pigeons or doves maybe work?

The winters are pretty cold here but this coop will be heated and can be built to whatever size/shape any possible secondary bird would need. I can do an aviary, large run, pool, or larger indoor area. I want the best for my little socially awkward roosters and am definitely willing to work a little harder to make that happen!

Here’s a picture of them (they are way smaller than this photo makes them look):

Why add any other birds?

It sounds like those bantam males will be happy enough with just each other. Since there are three of them, they already have each other for company.

Depending on how old they are, they might become a bit more bold about exploring their space as they get older, or they may not be, but I don't see it being a big problem either way.

 

[MinervaTheHen]

I think a separate enclosure will be enough. I would not try and add other birds of any kind. Most species tends not to pay any attention to different species, it is almost like they cannot see them. If they do not interact with your current flock, they are not going to do so with another type of bird.

However, I am thinking they are quite young. There is a tendency to think with cockerels, that "how they are acting today, will be like they are acting next week." and that is not true.

They may continue to get along, and they may not. Being raised together has almost no influence on behavior in chickens. They may fight once and settle it, or may have ongoing fights for days. They may fight, then a long period of not fighting, and then a terrible fight.

They may become very interested in the laying flock, and want to fight that rooster.

Roosters are a crapshoot.

Good luck.

Mrs K

Thank you!

Rereading my post, I realized I didn’t make it super clear why I was leaning towards a second type of bird. From what I’ve seen, these guys won’t go outside/forage/act semi-normal unless they see something else do it, even if they don’t actually interact with the other bird. I just got them drinking out of a new waterer by letting them watch the ducks do it first. However, you have a really good point. I might just have some wishful thinking going on, hoping that they’ll finally make friends.

They are fairly young, so those hormones could definitely be changing! That’s part of the reason I was planning on moving them regardless, none of the boys are fighting now but I’ll be continuing to add hens into the flock and I don’t want to deal with territorial roosters on top of that.

I’ve raised quite a few roosters in the past, some that worked out, some that didn’t, and it’s always a bit frustrating. Oh well, at least they’re cute!

 

[MinervaTheHen]

Why add any other birds?

It sounds like those bantam males will be happy enough with just each other. Since there are three of them, they already have each other for company.

Depending on how old they are, they might become a bit more bold about exploring their space as they get older, or they may not be, but I don't see it being a big problem either way

Good point, I think I’m a little idealistic about this. Part of me really just wants them to have friends, haha.

Part of the reason I’m more worried about their behavior is that they don’t really seem all that independent. I’m realizing I didn’t do such a great job in explaining everything in my post. They’ve struggled with really simple stuff, like switching waterers and food types. I don’t want to call them stupid, but… it’s a possibility.

Thanks for your response!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Just enough to keep them from completely retreating into their own little rooster world and maybe encourage them to explore and leave the coop a bit.

In my opinion you are overthinking this a lot. Each chicken has its own personality. Each flock has its own dynamics, based on the personality of the individuals. Some are bold explorers, taking off for parts unknown. Others like to stick around home. That could be a part of it. They are still immature. They may still be intimidated by the others so they might be afraid to go out with them. That is very common with immature chickens, they are typically afraid of the older ones. Chickens often don't like change. They often like the comfort of the familiar. It is very common for them to take a long time to explore away from the immediate area around home.

All of that may explain some of their behaviors. But the important part of this is what others have said. They do not need other species of birds around. Their life will not be enriched by sharing it with doves, geese, or anything else. Chickens are flock animals and they flock with other chickens. It is possible in strange circumstances they may imprint on a llama, dog, or you, but they tend to imprint on other chickens. It sounds like those three have imprinted on each other.

You can do whatever you wish, they are yours. But I'd expect them to be very happy and live like chickens if you isolate them in their own coop and run with only each other. Why make it complicated when it can be very simple?

 

[MinervaTheHen]

In my opinion you are overthinking this a lot. Each chicken has its own personality. Each flock has its own dynamics, based on the personality of the individuals. Some are bold explorers, taking off for parts unknown. Others like to stick around home. That could be a part of it. They are still immature. They may still be intimidated by the others so they might be afraid to go out with them. That is very common with immature chickens, they are typically afraid of the older ones. Chickens often don't like change. They often like the comfort of the familiar. It is very common for them to take a long time to explore away from the immediate area around home.

All of that may explain some of their behaviors. But the important part of this is what others have said. They do not need other species of birds around. Their life will not be enriched by sharing it with doves, geese, or anything else. Chickens are flock animals and they flock with other chickens. It is possible in strange circumstances they may imprint on a llama, dog, or you, but they tend to imprint on other chickens. It sounds like those three have imprinted on each other.

You can do whatever you wish, they are yours. But I'd expect them to be very happy and live like chickens if you isolate them in their own coop and run with only each other. Why make it complicated when it can be very simple?

This is exactly what I needed to hear, thank you. I tend to worry a lot about doing the right thing when it comes to my animals, sometimes too much.

I have the experience and knowledge to mostly make the right choices, but sometimes (like right now), I get a bit overwhelmed with something that is in all likelihood completely normal. I’ve been lucky previously and always had chickens that fit in almost immediately, I guess the idea of that not happening is a little terrifying for me, lol.