Will Old English Game Roosters get along if raised together?

[Sarrealist]

Hello everyone.

Almost three months ago my neighbors old english game (standard size) hen made a nest in my barn with 8 eggs and went broody. We took care of her and ended up adopting her. 7 of the 8 eggs hatched and now that they’re about 10 weeks old I can definitely tell who is male and who is female.
We have 4 cockerels and 3 pullets + mama hen + one other wyandotte pullet.

Everything has been great up until yesterday. There have been no fights only challenges and the lesser cockerel always just walked away. They’ve been very sweet boys and all of them love to be pet and held in my lap.
But yesterday I came back home to find two of them had bloody peck marks on their faces as if they had been fighting and one was tugging on the others wing. I quickly separated them into smaller sectioned off areas of the run and tended to their wounds.


Now my questions are as follows:

1- will they be able to get along long term or will this fighting become more frequent?
2- is it possible to have an all male coop and an all female coop side by side so they don’t fight over the hens in the future? Would i have to make sure that the males didnt see the females? Would that even matter or would it even be effective with OEG males’ temperment?
3- is there any other alternative way to keep them all?

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Now my questions are as follows:

1- will they be able to get along long term or will this fighting become more frequent?
2- is it possible to have an all male coop and an all female coop side by side so they don’t fight over the hens in the future? Would i have to make sure that the males didnt see the females? Would that even matter or would it even be effective with OEG males’ temperment?
3- is there any other alternative way to keep them all?

My understanding is that once they hit puberty (which they are) its going to be harder and harder for them to get along, especially with so few hens.

Yes, you can have a bachelor coop, but again, my understanding is that you have to keep them out of line of sight, or the boys will continue to fight each other for the girls they can see.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

It actually depends on the individuals more than the breed, if they are going to get along or not.

I do keep a stag pen where all my roosters are until I decide I want them to mate. They have a coop/fence right next to my hens where they see them every day. Some of my roosters will stick their head through the fence to be groomed by the ladies. They still try to treat call and dance through the fence.

I did have 1 fight where I had to step in and put the aggressor on the defense. They were brothers raised together. After that incident they got along fine until one went to a new home. Now those are my Marans boys, and when younger were rambunctious little jerks to each other. I had to wonder if I want to raise Marans any more. But after maturity, things are a lot better. Then you add Silkies to the mix! Yes, I keep my Silkies in with all my other birds. And I have had many breeds in my stag pen... 1 of my Silkie cockerels tries to beat up a Marans cockerel about his same age, not raised together. It's kind of funny to see. But my Marans rooster, he stops fights between the boys that get out of hand. Calls some to treats and is ALWAYS good to chicks!

While they are still growing out, I would expect some sparring as they mature at different rates and some will be more submissive or dominant than others. I try to let them work it out and it's usually over quite fast. But IF there is a relentless chaser, the chaser will be stuck in a time out box for an amount of time to be determined by how it goes when I test temperament after a short (couple hours) time out, in sight.

I only keep a stag pen for breeders and grow outs. Yes, another way to keep them all together is in the freezer!

Good luck!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I also want to add, that by separating them to their own stag pen BEFORE they start chasing and holding down the females... I don't have female rights fights. Plus more often if you have a bunch of young stags, they don't fight each other... they work together to hold down the weakest pullet and take turns mating her over and over. So it's more like competitive mating then fighting.

The ones I waited until after mating age to separate, pace the fence like crazy trying to get female attention. Verses being put over a little younger, they do their own thing and visit the fence line on occasion.

 

[Orps4life]

I had oeg bantams and my rooster was super nice but he did kill a chick before I could tell what breed the chick was soo......

 

[Sarrealist]

I also want to add, that by separating them to their own stag pen BEFORE they start chasing and holding down the females... I don't have female rights fights. Plus more often if you have a bunch of young stags, they don't fight each other... they work together to hold down the weakest pullet and take turns mating her over and over. So it's more like competitive mating then fighting.

The ones I waited until after mating age to separate, pace the fence like crazy trying to get female attention. Verses being put over a little younger, they do their own thing and visit the fence line on occasion.

Thanks for the great information. I’ll have to think on this more but I think I might follow your example and make a separate male pen.

 

[Sarrealist]

My understanding is that once they hit puberty (which they are) its going to be harder and harder for them to get along, especially with so few hens.

Yes, you can have a bachelor coop, but again, my understanding is that you have to keep them out of line of sight, or the boys will continue to fight each other for the girls they can see.

I too have read to keep the females out of sight. I will see what I can do and think this over.
I appreciate the input!! Thank you.

 

[Sarrealist]

I had oeg bantams and my rooster was super nice but he did kill a chick before I could tell what breed the chick was soo......

They are a lot nicer than some people claim. Probably just for the fact that people raise them differently. But of course their instinct can take over their personalities.
Sorry about your chick )-: