Younger rooster seems to be taking over

[Airean]

I have 2 roosters with 15 hens(I know, I am adding more hens this spring)
The top roo is older by about a year and is a big boy. My other roo is not even 1 year old and not a big breed at all.
Last night I came home to a bloody coop and bloody boys.
I have 2 small coops that house each rooster and their ladies. Alpha roo has 5 ladies and the rest house with my younger roo. Over the last couple of nights I have noticed a shift within the ladies choosing to sleep in different coops.
Both coops are within the same run. I can separate the coops but that is my last resort tbh.
This morning my young roo was on top of the alpha and had him backed into the corner... ahhhh.
I want to interfere so gosh dang bad and not let the young roo over throw my alpha.
I also do not want these 2 boys to keep attacking.
What should I be doing in this situation? How many fights are too many before my human interaction needs to be there?
I think both roos have good potential to be amazing roosters but they are both young..
Any guidance is appreciated.

 

[FrostRanger]

There isn't anything you can do to change the pecking order between them and trying to would do more harm than good. As for the situation itself you have a few options. 1. You can hope that they have managed to work out the pecking order and let things be as they are. 2. You can make 2 separate flocks with separate setups. 3. You can remove one of the boys from the flock. If they keep fighting 2 and 3 are your only real options. Also how big are your coop and run in feet? Pictures would also be helpful

 

[FowlProtector]

It sounds like you’ve got a tough situation on your hands! Roosters can be territorial and competitive, especially when their status is being challenged. Here are a few things you can consider to help manage the situation:

1. Observe the Fights: Generally, if the fights are just minor scuffles and not causing severe injury, it's natural for roosters to establish dominance. However, if you notice persistent fighting or injuries (like the bloody coop you found), that’s when you should step in.
2. Separate Temporarily: If the younger roo is challenging the alpha roo too aggressively, separating them for a while might help. It can give both birds some time to calm down and re-establish their pecking order without immediate competition. You can allow them to see each other but not have direct contact. Once they’ve settled, you could try reintroducing them with the older roo being in control.
3. Re-evaluate the Coop Setup: Since they’re both in the same run and using the same space, it’s possible that the younger roo feels like he needs to compete for territory. You could try keeping the coops slightly farther apart or blocking off certain areas so the younger roo doesn't feel so threatened.
4. Reintroduce Carefully: If you do need to separate them, you can reintroduce them gradually. Maybe start with supervised visits to ensure there’s no immediate conflict, and gradually allow them to spend more time together once it seems they can get along.
5. Consider the Ladies' Influence: The hens can sometimes play a role in this too. If the younger roo is getting a lot of attention from the hens, it might be escalating the alpha's jealousy or territorial feelings. You could also consider moving some hens around, or letting them choose which roo they prefer for a while.
6. Human Intervention: If things are getting too heated, you can step in to break up the fights, especially if you see blood being drawn. Just be cautious not to get caught in the middle of it!

If the fighting continues despite efforts to manage it, you may need to consider keeping them fully separated or even choosing one rooster to stay with the flock, though that’s a last resort.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have 2 roosters with 15 hens(I know, I am adding more hens this spring)

That is a common misconception. Two roosters will fight over 30 hens as fast as they will fight over 2 or 3. They are fighting for flock dominance, not so they can have a certain number of hens in their flock. That might be a fight to the death, they may reach an accommodation on how to share and protect the flock.

If you want more hens then get more hens, but don't get them thinking it will solve this problem. It just means you have to handle an integration on top of everything else.

The top roo is older by about a year and is a big boy. My other roo is not even 1 year old and not a big breed at all.

Size has nothing to do with it. It is the individual spirit that counts. It is not at all unusual for bantams to dominate full sized fowl.

I want to interfere so gosh dang bad and not let the young roo over throw my alpha.

As long as they share a space you have no control over that. They will decide which one is dominant.

I also do not want these 2 boys to keep attacking.
What should I be doing in this situation?

Then you need to provide two separate coops and runs where they cannot get to each other. I'm sorry, but it is that simple. Or you can let them fight it out and see if they reach an accommodation instead of one killing the other.

Good luck however you try.