With access to wide open space, subordinate roosters are able to stay away from the head rooster and avoid conflict with him. A subordinate rooster may even be able to single out a few hens for his own little flock. He can then stick to his own little area without riling up the head rooster. Free-ranging is a great option for managing multiple roosters who have not been raised together. Of course, the hierarchy pecking order will need to be established initially. If a fight does occur, there is at least plenty of space for the loser to get away from the winning rooster.
Free-ranging does not eliminate the possibility of rooster fights, however it does go a long way in allowing each rooster to have his own domain. Using several different coops can come in handy when managing multiple roosters.
More coops does mean more cleaning, more feeders, more waterers, and possibly even more fencing. Using several coops for multiple roosters allows each rooster to claim his coop.
If you have a free-range flock with multiple roosters, you may notice that each rooster will round up his hens into a certain coop each night. Having multiple coops available prevents space issues, much like free-ranging allows each rooster to have his own domain.
Basically you will have several different flocks consisting of a rooster and his hens. Each flock will get its own coop and enclosure. This method works well if you are breeding several different chicken breeds or have an extensive breeding program with one breed. Keeping each rooster separate with his own hens will prevent fights from occurring. While more coops does mean more work, multiple coops does make managing multiple roosters much easier!
Lastly, you can always separate the hens from the roosters. Having a hen flock and a rooster flock is functional if the roosters are not allowed to see the hens. Roosters fight over hens. When there are no hens to fight over, roosters will create their own flock with a dominate rooster as the leader. Having a rooster flock can give the hens a break from having a rooster around all the time and it also gives you more flexibility with managing multiple roosters.
Keep in mind that if you remove a rooster from the rooster flock for breeding, he may need to be integrated into the hen flock or re-integrated back into the rooster flock. When you have both a rooster flock and a hen flock, you will want to make sure they stay completely separate from each other.
Successfully housing a rooster flock takes a bit of extra consideration. We chatted with the humans over at Triangle Chicken Advocates TCA , who care for multiple rooster flocks including one of over 30 roosters! In addition to the tips below, they suggest getting to know chickens as individuals and becoming familiar with natural chicken behaviors before diving into the world of rooster flocks, and when first creating a rooster flock, start small!
Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating a rooster flock:. Make sure to keep their nails and spurs well-trimmed to minimize the risk of injury during minor scuffles. It is true that roosters can fight to the point of causing mortal injury, but this is not the norm and also is not unique to roosters.
Not all roosters are confrontational with each other, and even those who initially come into conflict with one another can go on to peacefully cohabitate with other roosters under the right circumstances and with proper interventions. Therefore, while all animal introductions should be closely monitored, it is imperative that an experienced caretaker is present when introducing roosters to each other.
Most alpha roosters are fervent protectors of their flock, so a rooster who might not otherwise instigate an altercation could feel the need to defend his territory against an intruding rooster.
It is possible to successfully add new roosters to the flock, but it requires time and patience. In some instances, rooster introductions may take a few weeks, but they could also take a few months- it all depends on the individuals. Without this level of understanding, it will be difficult to know when to move ahead with the integration process, when to back-off, and when to intervene.
After new roosters have completed their quarantine period, start slowly introducing them to the rooster flock. These kennel spaces give residents of the rooster flock and the new individual time to start getting used to each other through the safety of a divider during the course of the day remember they need to be moved to a safe, predator-proof space overnight.
Be aware that, in some instances, individuals may develop a false sense of confidence and may actually fight more through the divider than they would without it. You have 0 items in your basket. Email: Password:. Log in. Product Search: go. Help Me! OR: Search by Category. See Also: At what age does a rooster begin crowing?
How can I tell if my juvenile bird is a rooster? How do I find a new home for a rooster I don't want? How do I get started breeding my chickens?
Why did my rooster suddenly become aggressive? Why do you need to worry about too many roosters? The first answer is fighting in the flock. A rooster's mission in life is to protect and procreate, and they will see any other males as a threat to their ability to continue their bloodline. Roosters will fight each other to the death if necessary, and they will sacrifice themselves fighting off potential threats to their hens.
You may think that roosters only crow to greet the morning, but that is false. Roosters crow sun up to sun down, and if one guy is calling the rest are certain to answer. For this reason, many towns and cities specifically outlaw roosters on the homestead.
Too few hens to roosters also brings up the problem of over-mating. Roosters are not sympathetic to their ladies and will continue to attempt to mate even after they have scratched up a long-suffering hen's back.
Even with only one rooster, if he doesn't have enough hens to spread his affections to, he may cause damage to his harem. It is not impossible to keep multiple roosters. With enough space and hens, two or three roosters can be very happy. Many farmers who keep multiple roosters have them in completely separate flocks, with their own runs and shelters.
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