2 roosters fighting!

[IvyYo]

Anyone know how to stop roosters from fighting? I have two roosters that fight!!!! And I wish they would just get along. Because I have to lock up one group every time we leave our house!!! I'd rather just let them be free!I have two different groups. One group has 3 chickens( rooster and 2 hens). The other is a group of 5)1 rooster, 4 hens. So they stay separate for the most part, but when they get close. They keep walking up to each other. When the get close they crow a lot. Any ideas how I can stop this????? I understand there's probably not really any thing you can do, about but I was just wondering.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hi! There isn't. They'll keep fighting until someone is dead or someone submits.

 

[FrostRanger]

Unfortunately permanent separation is the only real solution here. Some roosters just won't get along and there's not a whole lot you can do about it and they very well could seriously injure or kill each other if not separated

 

[Mrs. K]

One of your roosters could manage the whole flock. If you love to let them out, and don't want to babysit continuously, or be unable to leave, the best thing would be to remove one of the roosters permanently.

Thing is, the rest of the flock will thank you, and you will enjoy the flock much more. Often times people are unaware of the tension in the hens, with two warring roosters. Even if the roosters don't fight all the time, the possibility is there. Tension decreases egg laying. When you remove permanently one of the roosters, you will see all of the birds relax. It will be a much better flock. A much healthier flock.

Many of us, have wished they would just get along, and it never works. You have to change something. You are the keeper.

Mrs K

 

[Ridgerunner]

It sounds like you have a fair amount of room. Do they free range or are they confined to a run? If they are in a run how big is it in feet or meters?

A standard question when dealing with behaviors. How old are they? Hormones typically run hotter when they are juveniles than when they are fully mature.

Knowing what you are working with can help in my response.

When you have multiple males they will know which is the boss. They may fight to the death or they may work out an accommodation on how to protect the flock. You don't know what is going to happen when they fight. One common resolution if they have enough room is that each sets up a territory well away from the other so they are not forced to interact. One time I had two that hung together. They know which was boss and occasionally skirmished but that was over pretty quickly. That was rare, not how it usually works out. Sounds like yours are going to be separated if they continue to exist.

I don't know your goals or reasons to have chickens or why you want two boys. To me, your options are:

Get rid of one boy and just have one flock.

Continue what you are doing, keeping them separated.

Let them fight it out. One may die at any time, they may reach an accommodation.

I don't really see any others. Some people will suggest you get more girls but I do not agree. If you want more hens get them but don't expect that to solve your problems. They will fight over 20 as fast as they will fight over two.

Good luck!

 

[IvyYo]

It sounds like you have a fair amount of room. Do they free range or are they confined to a run? If they are in a run how big is it in feet or meters?

A standard question when dealing with behaviors. How old are they? Hormones typically run hotter when they are juveniles than when they are fully mature.

Knowing what you are working with can help in my response.

When you have multiple males they will know which is the boss. They may fight to the death or they may work out an accommodation on how to protect the flock. You don't know what is going to happen when they fight. One common resolution if they have enough room is that each sets up a territory well away from the other so they are not forced to interact. One time I had two that hung together. They know which was boss and occasionally skirmished but that was over pretty quickly. That was rare, not how it usually works out. Sounds like yours are going to be separated if they continue to exist.

I don't know your goals or reasons to have chickens or why you want two boys. To me, your options are:

Get rid of one boy and just have one flock.

Continue what you are doing, keeping them separated.

Let them fight it out. One may die at any time, they may reach an accommodation.

I don't really see any others. Some people will suggest you get more girls but I do not agree. If you want more hens get them but don't expect that to solve your problems. They will fight over 20 as fast as they will fight over two.

Good luck!

They are completely running free!! We live back in the woods. And we have 8 acres. They love to run around in the woods, and around are house. So they start fighting when they get close, and when hens are running around laying eggs.

 

[IvyYo]

One of your roosters could manage the whole flock. If you love to let them out, and don't want to babysit continuously, or be unable to leave, the best thing would be to remove one of the roosters permanently.

Thing is, the rest of the flock will thank you, and you will enjoy the flock much more. Often times people are unaware of the tension in the hens, with two warring roosters. Even if the roosters don't fight all the time, the possibility is there. Tension decreases egg laying. When you remove permanently one of the roosters, you will see all of the birds relax. It will be a much better flock. A much healthier flock.

Many of us, have wished they would just get along, and it never works. You have to change something. You are the keeper.

Mrs K

@Mrs. K ,@Ridgerunner @FrostRanger, @SmiYa0126... Ok, thank you for your helpful advice!