Rooster problems

[Quinnm]

I desperately need advice. I have too many roosters for the hens we have because the flock of hens that was given to us by the previous owners of our house is starting to go from old age. We have two Roos and 3 hens right now. I already have some chicks this spring to up the hen count, and the roos were separated all winter in their own coop with the runs were right next to each other so they could get acclimated, but the roosters are still just picking on one leghorn in particular. Her poor comb is so beat up and bloody now, and last year before we separated them we had to quarantine her and treat her for two weeks because they got her so badly her head was all but wide open. From what it looks like the two roosters left still consider themselves their own flock. The past week we have been allowing them to free range together since the Roos still go to their own coop at night, and all was fine for the first few days, but just yesterday they decided to pick on the one leghorn again. It got worse today to the point where the hen was hiding, and all three of them spent most of the day in the coop because the roosters would bully them for coming out. Yesterday I finally saw our largest hen actually submit to one of the roosters and let him mount. He wasn’t too aggressive or anything, so we left him in the coop with the ladies and the other roo went to his coop last night. Everything was fine overnight and this morning, but it looks like the Roos refuse to let the hens leave the coop to free range. Two won’t even go into the run unless I’m in there with them, but the one leghorn they pick on doesn’t listen, she went into the yard and doesn’t get mounted at all she just gets attacked. I separated the hens again completely but I hate having to leave them in their run when they were here first. Any advice at all would be appreciated. I’d really like to keep at least one rooster, but I really don’t want to wake up to a dead hen. The roosters get along fine by the way, they have definitely established who is in charge and they sleep together given the choice.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

I desperately need advice. I have too many roosters for the hens we have because the flock of hens that was given to us by the previous owners of our house is starting to go from old age. We have two Roos and 3 hens right now. I already have some chicks this spring to up the hen count, and the roos were separated all winter in their own coop with the runs were right next to each other so they could get acclimated, but the roosters are still just picking on one leghorn in particular. Her poor comb is so beat up and bloody now, and last year before we separated them we had to quarantine her and treat her for two weeks because they got her so badly her head was all but wide open. From what it looks like the two roosters left still consider themselves their own flock. The past week we have been allowing them to free range together since the Roos still go to their own coop at night, and all was fine for the first few days, but just yesterday they decided to pick on the one leghorn again. It got worse today to the point where the hen was hiding, and all three of them spent most of the day in the coop because the roosters would bully them for coming out. Yesterday I finally saw our largest hen actually submit to one of the roosters and let him mount. He wasn’t too aggressive or anything, so we left him in the coop with the ladies and the other roo went to his coop last night. Everything was fine overnight and this morning, but it looks like the Roos refuse to let the hens leave the coop to free range. Two won’t even go into the run unless I’m in there with them, but the one leghorn they pick on doesn’t listen, she went into the yard and doesn’t get mounted at all she just gets attacked. I separated the hens again completely but I hate having to leave them in their run when they were here first. Any advice at all would be appreciated. I’d really like to keep at least one rooster, but I really don’t want to wake up to a dead hen. The roosters get along fine by the way, they have definitely established who is in charge and they sleep together given the choice.

Soup time!

 

[LaFleche]

Soup time!

This exactly!

I would rehome them to freezer camp this same evening.

Ganging up to beat up hens is intolerable behaviour.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My immediate step would be to eat or rehome one of the boys. Sometimes the two together are made worse by competition or by cooperation. Removing one can sometimes change the behavior of the one left.

But be prepared to remove the other one later if it doesn't work out. Some roosters are just brutes. Some hens are too. You should solve for the peace of your flock.

I don't keep chickens. I keep a flock of chickens. The individual parts can change as needed.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I agree with all posts so far. I will add, I separate out my cockerels when they start getting randy. Boys mature faster than the girls so their raging to go and the girls are clueless what's happening to them.
For instance, I have a 4 year old roo with 9 girls. I'm integrating 8 5 week olds with 2 confirmed boys so far. When them boys go rage on they get separated til the decision to keep or cull. The girls will get separated also at the first sign of my older roo gets all weird with them and I won't let them back into the flock until around 8 months old, but I will keep them within sight of the main flock to keep integrated.
Some don't do it this way, I have the coops and runs to pull this off. I feel that letting cockerels and roos mate before the pullets are ready stresses them out too much and impacts their growth. Some breeders I've read keep their point of lay pullets separated til over a year old.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I also say beating up the hens is not tolerable.

Pick your favorite rooster and be done with the others.

 

[Quinnm]

Thank you all! We picked up some new pullets tonight since our flock was dwindling so heavily. They immediately came up to the run, alarm called, and stressed the new hens out like crazy in their pen. I don’t think they are ever going to integrate and having them around is going to make the new pullets integration harder. So I think we’re going to have to :/ I really wanted to give them a chance with more hens, but I think they are just convinced the yard is theirs and don’t want much to do with the hens beyond keeping them out of the yard and attacking them if they go out there.