Young Silky fight problem

[bsautner]

We're in a little bit of a pickle. Our flock of 6 silkies consists three adults - one large rooster, and two hens. We recently let some broody hens hatch their eggs and now we have three new 2.5 month old chicks. We're almost certain one of the chicks is a roo based on behaviors we've learned from raising the first one so we're taking action to find it a new home before his father gets aggressive toward it. That is, head up, chest out posture, larger than the others etc.

One of the chicks is definitely a hen, again based on behaviors. More docile, head down, small etc.

The third chick we're not so sure. In between the other two.

We just had to break up a fight between two young ones because blood was being drawn on the 50/50 chick vs the baby roo while they were all free ranging.


Questions:

Should we have broken up the fight or let them work it out. At this age is there a real danger? Blood is an obvious red flag, this is a new problem for us.

Should we isolate the 2.5 month old roo from this point on? Until we find it a home that is.

Does the fight mean the smaller of the two is definitely also a roo, or should we still wait it out.

Health and safety is our first priority, the real challenge is that Siklies are so hard to sex until the lay an egg.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Dominate chicks do this regardless of gender sometimes, I had 2 chicks do this (Pullet and Roo),and it is something you should defiantly break up. The young roo basically grabbed her eyelid and I'm assuming eye and blinded her, it scabbed over and eventually the scabbed fell off, but her eye stayed wrinkly and messed up. Worse fight I have ever seen to chicks get into, or any chicken for that matter an they were only 2 1/2 3 months maybe, things get serious, and pecking order becomes more "Real" during this age.
It is perfectly normal for some chest bumping, kicking and grabbing, and maybe a litte blood, but that was just not okay. If it is lots of serious blood, separate them and let things calm down.
Why can you not keep the second roo?

 

[bsautner]

Thanks for the quick feedback and great advice. We have the space and infrastructure to separate the kids temporarily and everyone is currently bonding over some cantaloupe.

I'm under the (possibly incorrect) assumption that our adult Roo won't tolerate the second male in the flock so i'd rather find him a new home than to find him torn apart one morning. We have a lot of space, but not enough for an entirely separate coop / run.

Also my immediate neighbors have accepted our Rooster's crowing but two may be pushing it. It would be great if our second roo accepted a role as a Beta and didn't crow, i'm not sure if that's possible. 1 year into raising chicken's and we're still learning!

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Cockerels/roosters on the lower side,may not crow as much or t all.Each roo is different.

Some tolerate them to the put they will only run them off to show the dominance,keep him off hens and run them when they crow,that is pretty tolerant,you would she have to see how they will react,some cannot expect them and will fight to death or alpha will kill another roo,just depends on the roosters.Sparring happens and is normal but can be tooken the wrong way. Silkies from what I hear, are pretty easy going and tend not to have problems with others,but it just depends on the individual.