Which Roosters Do I isolate?

[microchick]

Yeah, I know. Funny thing is that the Buff roos seem to hate the Wellie roos. These guys were raised together in the same brooder. So much for the statement by the experts that says that roosters raised together are more tolerant of one another. At the moment I have the Wellie roos in their tractor so they can get some peace and quiet. I turned the Buff roos into their run so they could graze and everything went smooth until they realized 'they' were in the run with them. I could hear the skirmish clear across our yard along with blood curdling screams. I found one Wellie roo huddled, panting in one of the nesting boxes and scooped him up, checked him over and stuffed him in the tractor. 5 minutes later they were going at the other Wellie roo, the one they usually tolerate. So I stuffed him in the tractor with his buddy. They immediately perked up, drank water and started grazing on the grass.

I know this is normal rooster behavior but to the extreme. I'd rather deal with it now or deal with it later in the form of a badly injured or dead rooster.

Has anyone else had trouble with their Buff O's being intolerant to other breed males?

 

[junebuggena]

Sounds like those Orpington boys need to go. Neither your or your hens need the constant stress of living in a battle zone. Only keep the boys that can live peacefully with others.

 

[keesmom]

Sounds like those Orpington boys need to go.

I agree. That isn't the temperament an Orpington should have.

Yeah, I know. Funny thing is that the Buff roos seem to hate the Wellie roos. These guys were raised together in the same brooder. So much for the statement by the experts that says that roosters raised together are more tolerant of one another.

I have had cockerels that have been raised together suddenly hate each other and try to kill one another. And this was in a bachelor pen, without a hen in sight.

 

[aart]

Cockerels are delicious on the grill at around 15 weeks.
Grilled bones make killer stock in the pressure cooler.

 

[keesmom]

Cockerels are delicious on the grill at around 15 weeks.
Grilled bones make killer stock in the pressure cooler.

I will have to try this sometimes this fall. I know my 6 month olds make outstanding stock in a crockpot.

Got to get a smoker too.

 

[microchick]

Garlic butter makes the skin nice and crispy too....

Thanks for the grins guys trust me, I've been tempted several times over the past three days.

At the moment have a plan to swap out the roosters one or two at a time to see if we can figure out who the 'trigger' is. I know it isn't the two Welsummer roosters. I've seen them 'hit' on one of the hens only to bring on the wrath of the Buffs but in all honesty, I haven't seen them initiate any fights with the Buffs in a good month. The smallest of the Buffs has fought with one of the Welsummers once that I have witnessed. It seems to be the two biggest Buffs who are doing the gang attack thing but I need to figure out which one is leading the pack and then see what happens when he is separated from the flock. If another bully surfaces, well, that bachelor pen can be made big enough for two.

And, I have a tomahawk that is razor sharp and a chopping block if the need arises. If one turns human aggressive, that will be the conclusion of at least that problem.

 

[aart]

You never really know how one male will act until you get the others out of sight and sound.
One could be docile amongst it's superiors then be a total idiot once the others are gone.
At 16 weeks they are just tuning up.....you won't know how good they really are until over a year old.

I like the pressure cooker way better than the slow cooker, bone broth in just 2-3 hours instead of 10-12.
Grilled bones are great for bone broth, more flavor and less fat.

 

[Nupe]

I thought bone broth had to be simmered on low heat to keep the gelatin intact. Does your broth still jell up?

 

[aart]

I thought bone broth had to be simmered on low heat to keep the gelatin intact. Does your broth still jell up?

Yep, it sure does.

I strain it after cooking, let it cool on counter top, then refrigerate overnight.
The next day I skim off any fat off the top if needed, which is harder to do with the gelatinized broth than it is with liquid broth,
but the grilling of the chicken parts removes most the fat anyway, so skimming is not usually needed unless I've added raw chicken parts to the mix.
Then I portion it out into freezer containers if not using it right away.

 

[microchick]

So today the plan is to separate the smallest Buff O rooster from the main flock and put him with the two Welsummer roosters and see what, if anything, happens. Two days ago I rescued him from the middle rooster of the three who had him pinned down in a corner of the coop attacking his head and standing on his back. When I picked him up he didn't protest and was almost limp. At first I was afraid he had a spine injury. Luckily he was just exhausted and his comb wasn't badly damaged, just scratched and bruised.

This is going to be a process of observation and elimination to figure out exactly who is instigating the attacks so he can be separate from the flock. Instincts are telling me it is the two dominate Buff O roosters, but I want to make sure that I pull the right roosters from the flock.