Problems with Roosters

[Chucker66]

New to the site but have been lurking for awhile. Ive raised chickens for 15 years mostly without roosters. This last batch I have had a Australorp Rooster that was raised from a chick. He was a little mean once he came of age but we dealt with him because he looked out for the girls. Last spring I got a batch of brahmas and one was a rooster so we kept him too. So I have 22 hens and the 2 roosters. Well last night the brahma finally decided it was time for a rebellion. He took on the older rooster and beat him pretty good. The old rooster is OK and I have separated them but now I'm not sure what to do. I tried putting him back with the flock in the run but the brahma just went after him again. I'm thinking aboiut putting the brahma in timeout and letting the old guy back with hens for a bit. Any advice?

 

[DobieLover]

Welcome to BYC.

I'm thinking aboiut putting the brahma in timeout

This would never work. Chickens don't do "timeout".
They will continue to fight until one fully submits. Or until one is dead.
I only keep one LF rooster for this reason.
You can keep a second rooster if it's a bantam or mid-sized as they are rarely stupid enough to take on a LF rooster.
Alternatively, you would need to provide a much larger area and a second coop for the subordinate rooster to have a harem of his own. This takes LOTS of space.

 

[Mygooseandrooster]

New to the site but have been lurking for awhile. Ive raised chickens for 15 years mostly without roosters. This last batch I have had a Australorp Rooster that was raised from a chick. He was a little mean once he came of age but we dealt with him because he looked out for the girls. Last spring I got a batch of brahmas and one was a rooster so we kept him too. So I have 22 hens and the 2 roosters. Well last night the brahma finally decided it was time for a rebellion. He took on the older rooster and beat him pretty good. The old rooster is OK and I have separated them but now I'm not sure what to do. I tried putting him back with the flock in the run but the brahma just went after him again. I'm thinking aboiut putting the brahma in timeout and letting the old guy back with hens for a bit. Any advice?

We had three roosters, and one didn’t fight at all. The other two ( golden Wyandotte and Buff Orpington) fought a lot though. The Wyandotte beat the Orpington pretty bad, so We just picked the one we wanted to keep and sent the Wyandotte to my sister. It was great after that.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm not sure what to do.

Option 1 - Kill (and probably eat) one of them. Or dispose of the body.

Option 2 - Sell or give one away

Option 3 - Set up a second coop/run, give each his own harem, and keep them permanently separated. Forever.

Option 4 - Let them fight it out. Either they reach an accommodation or one kills the other.

 

[Mygooseandrooster]

Welcome to BYC.


This would never work. Chickens don't do "timeout".
They will continue to fight until one fully submits. Or until one is dead.
I only keep one LF rooster for this reason.
You can keep a second rooster if it's a bantam or mid-sized as they are rarely stupid enough to take on a LF rooster.
Alternatively, you would need to provide a much larger area and a second coop for the subordinate rooster to have a harem of his own. This takes LOTS of space.

What’s LF?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Large Fowl as opposed to bantams

 

[Chucker66]

Or Lucky Fowl who gets all the hens

 

[Grind Hard Farm]

 

[Mygooseandrooster]

Large Fowl as opposed to bantam

Or Lucky Fowl who gets all the hens

Yeah, I see. We have a
black cochin who is huge (large fowl) and also right now has the hens all to himself(lucky fowl) XD Nobody of the other roosters ever tried messing with him, even though they were not bantams. He is really sweet, though.

 

[Chucker66]

Well after observing them most of the day after I let them free range, I think I might have to get rid of the Brahma. He was all over the hens today. The Australorp, while a bit aggressive with me, is better with the hens and that's what is important. I hate to get rid of the big boy but I think that's the best for my flock. He actually mellowed out with me after he got his butt kicked. Thansk for all the responses.