Will My Flocks Ever Get Along?

[centrarchid]

Quote:
With my sub-flocks, usually but not always, the dominant male within the dominant sub-flock does most of enforcing of it sub-flocks rank / territorial boundaries. On more than one occassion when such dominant idividual acted alone, the subflock on receiving as a group turned tables on the aggressor and drove it off.

During those encounters some interesting sounds are made that I have not heard under different circumstances.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

My main flock consists of 10 chicks, 3 Rocks, 6 BO, and 1 Wyandotte. They were 4 weeks old when I got my 3 EE, who were 2 weeks old.
The older girls went out to the coop almost two weeks ago, and the EE join them during the day in the run, but come in at night. The 3 little ones keep to themselves, a.BO will come over to visit and are nice to them. But everyone still keeps their distance. On Wed. I added 2 Light Brahmas to the mix. I introduced the new babies to the 3 EE and they all get on well, the new babies try to snuggle under the older 3. I was going to try putting the 3 out in the coop next week, but I may wait for the 2 newest to get big enough to join them.

 

[AlbionWood]

Quote:
Too many roos! 5 roos to 17 hens is waaaay to high a ratio. That makes the roos rough with the hens - basically they are competing with each other for reproductive survival, and there's no time for wooing! They won't kill the hens, but they might kill each other.

Even the oft-cited ratio of 1:10 or 1:12 is too high in my experience, with young roosters. My 1-year-old Delaware is covering 24 hens and still most of the hens are barebacked; and all the eggs are fertile.

Pen the excess cockerels where they can't see the pullets, or they may fight. When they are 5 months old, put them in the freezer. I suspect you will find that any of your cockerels will become nicer roosters once the others are out of the picture.