Bullied 8 week old cockerel

[ladyhand]

I have 6 chicks, right at 8 weeks. I’m pretty sure I have two lavender Orpington cockerels and it seems the two of them have been at odds today. I just watched this guy approach the flock and I’m pretty sure the other was trying to crow. 1) what should I do to treat the wounds? 2) what should I do about housing?

Isn’t 8 weeks a bit young for this sort of behavior?

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

When I hatched out BO/silkies, I had to take a couple out and reintroduce. When I put them back in, a third chick came out and let one newcomer under mom (turned out to be a pullet) but started fighting with the second newcomer. Both turned out to be roosters (very sweet ones, just very sure of themselves). They actually ended up living together later on.
At this age, they'll squabble and probably draw blood. He doesn't look too beat up, so I think they're not quite serious yet. It could get more serious with teenage hormones, but they could also settle down afterward and coexist. It really depends on the personality of the roosters, every one is different.
As for treating the wounds, I wouldn't do anything. They're pretty light and they'll heal up quickly.

 

[ladyhand]

When I hatched out BO/silkies, I had to take a couple out and reintroduce. When I put them back in, a third chick came out and let one newcomer under mom (turned out to be a pullet) but started fighting with the second newcomer. Both turned out to be roosters (very sweet ones, just very sure of themselves). They actually ended up living together later on.
At this age, they'll squabble and probably draw blood. He doesn't look too beat up, so I think they're not quite serious yet. It could get more serious with teenage hormones, but they could also settle down afterward and coexist. It really depends on the personality of the roosters, every one is different.
As for treating the wounds, I wouldn't do anything. They're pretty light and they'll heal up quickly.

Thank you! What are your Orpington roosters like? Are they loud? Are they gentle with the girls, etc?

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

They all passed away a few years ago, and I had all 3 of them their whole lives along with their full BO dad. Absolutely adorable roosters all of them, they all loved being cuddled (I always cuddled them from the time they were hatched) and they were gentlemen to the hens. They were about as loud as most roosters, but since they were together usually only one rooster would be allowed to crow and the beta would keep his mouth shut

 

[ladyhand]

Did you have to keep them all separated or did they all have their own group of ladies?

I’m sorry they’ve passed.

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

Did you have to keep them all separated or did they all have their own group of ladies?

I’m sorry they’ve passed.

No worries, most of them lived to be happy fat little old men.
I separated them initially because dad BO wasn't too interested in three young upstarts in his flock. I had a bachelor pad for them for a bit which they liked, then they each had a small flock of their own (2 hens) which they were also perfectly fine with. After a while dad passed on and one of the boys did too, so I combined the two boys with a third rooster (an EE) in a flock of 5-6 hens. They had their spats, and one argument did end in an eye injury, but overall they coexisted pretty well and there wasn't much to worry about. I kept a close eye on them just in case, but they were all pretty easy going roos.