When will I have to separate 2 roos?? Help please!!

[jacyjones]

I hatched 4 chicks 10 weeks ago and 2 are crowing. I have never done this before - can you tell me when they will start to fight? I need to get rid of one before that happens either to another home or the pot.

 

[deidreschultz]

we bought 8 chicks all but 6 were "guaranteed" pullets. turns out 4 are roos. they are 18 weeks old, and already mating the hens. fingers crossed and knocking on wood everyone so far gets along. they all know their place on the pecking order. nobody messes with the head roo. we do keep them in a run, so they never free range (too many predators). Like I said so far so good. i've read many posts on here, and they said if they grow up together they should do fine. you may get just an unusually mean one, but for the most part they'll be ok. i know when we discovered our hens crowing we were discouraged. not sure what to do. we loved them all, and the freezer is not an option. we kinda went with the just wait and see approach. good luck

 

[jacyjones]

Quote:
Thanks for that. It seems by your experience I have a bit of time to ask around if anyone wants to take one of them. I have 10 other older chickens and the 2 new females so I might have enough to keep both if they get on! One is pedigree so it would be a shame to cull him. My husband has to do that stuff - I just keep out of the way.

 

[skeeter03]

We have 14 week old chickens 2 roos and 10 gals and so far all seems to be good - the alpha roo does keep the other roo in line though and doesnt like it when he goes for the girls but he still manages to sneak in a quickie here and there lmao.

 

[jacyjones]

Quote:
Thanks - maybe I will be able to keep both - that is good news. If they get agressive they will have to go though.

 

[Cock-L-Doodle Garoo]

I would see how it goes with the roos. If they have plenty of room and they grow up together it could be just fine. Mine are cool together. Here's a pic of eight of my fifthteen roos. They work together for the safty of the flock especially when the patrol cat gets a little too close.

Have fun

 

[Akane]

Depends on the roos. Some roos will just flat out kill each other on sight and some won't argue anymore than hens. I have several grown roos in the same coop from different hatches. I've frequently kept grown japanese bantam roos in the coop and in pens together even when they weren't raised together. Some roos never fight to the point of injury. Now I doubt my serama roos are going to be that way. They've been doing some serious sparring since they were 4 week old chicks and it would probably best to seperate them before they start mating the hens so by about 4months old. It's a bit of a judgement call depending on your individual birds but if they seem questionable then I would seperate them around 4months. Slower maturing breeds may start mating until 5-6months.

 

[jacyjones]

Thanks for all your help - I shall have to watch them and make a decision later. I want to introduce the 4 young chickens to the rest of the flock in a couple of weeks and then see what happens. I have always been frightened by stories of roos attacking people so have never wanted to keep one all the years I have had chickens - this will be a new experience. Hopefully fun but I will have to wait and see!!