Which cockerel is the dominant??

[Sanuk19]

Hello! This is my first post but I love this forum! We are new chicken keepers but are totally in love! We acquired 7 young chickens from a friend. Turns out 2 are cockerels. They are about 3 months old. One acts very dominant toward the girls, crows all the time and has lately been “coming at” me and my kids (not as much my hubby). So we are quickly going to sort that out by acting very dominant toward him to put him in his place (hopefully). But the weird thing is that he’ll have a stare down or stand off with my other male, but the seemingly very dominant one backs down and runs off every time. So who is the real dominant one here?
Thx

 

[DobieLover]

Hello! This is my first post but I love this forum! We are new chicken keepers but are totally in love! We acquired 7 young chickens from a friend. Turns out 2 are cockerels. They are about 3 months old. One acts very dominant toward the girls, crows all the time and has lately been “coming at” me and my kids (not as much my hubby). So we are quickly going to sort that out by acting very dominant toward him to put him in his place (hopefully). But the weird thing is that he’ll have a stare down or stand off with my other male, but the seemingly very dominant one backs down and runs off every time. So who is the real dominant one here?
Thx

The winner of the staring match is the dominant cockerel.
Trying to dominate the submissive cockerel is likely not going to go well for you and can very well make him attack from behind.
If you have kids involved, I would rehome the one who has started human aggressive behavior. You will likely have problems with over breeding with only 5 pullets to share so you may as well cut to the chase and send him on his way.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I have to agree completely with Dobie on that Welcome to Backyard Chickens a strike from one can blind a child post on craigs list where are you located your state will have a thread you can post it to also

 

[Sanuk19]

He hasn’t “attacked” us other than peck/pinched my son’s hand. But he has pecked at the girls and chases then occasionally. It’s just weird to me that he seems so much more dominant but then backs down from the seemingly more docile male. We also have 3 Silkie females about 2 months old that we are slowly trying to incorporate with the flock. And we also have 4 2-week old chicks. So we got more hens because we had 2 Roos. I keep reading people saying to act dominant (not harmful) toward the Roo so they know you are boss?? Thanks for your responses!

 

[The Moonshiner]

I agree with everyone else. I'd let the one go now.
What is it about him that makes him worth keeping at the cost of putting your children at risk of an injury?
That really is the question even if it doesn't seem like it at the moment.
I don't buy into the whole dominate a rooster pitch. So many people think every animal needs to be dominated..
I remember when that was the trend with dogs. For kicks I tried to have more then a couple dog trainers come by and show me the technic on my crazy looking 175 lb sky blue eyed male harlequin great dane. Funny I couldn't find one that wanted to tackle him to the ground.
He was actually a softy and a hell of a dog and I never had to dominate him to get him that way.