I have 2 8-9 week old roosters and one very old one. I was wondering if I could just cut off their spurs and let them fight with out hurtin each other. Is it immpossible? or should I just keep them in seperate pins? I really want two but three I could live with also . What do I do?
The old rooster will likely tear up the combs and wattles of the little ones and there will be bleeding and possible infection. Separation is the best remedy. 8-9 week old youngsters cannot defend themselves at all. When they are grown, you can try again, and they MAY submit to a Peck order agreement, but it is just a try--may or may not work! Some roosters are mellow and accept other roosters--some DO NOT. They are individuals. Good luck, CJR
CJR's right. My gentle roo (with the 2" spurs) got ahold of one of his sons (4 months old) and before I could stop him had cut a gash on the young ones comb. Old one got on young one like mating position and just pinched the devil out of his comb. Luckily it healed real well. Now I don't let them all out together for fear of more injuries. Keep my boys separated, and wondering what to do with 5 roos. Hatched 6 eggs and got 5 boys. Wonder how common that is. The 5 stay together fine, but won't mix em up again!
HannahH, You have my sympathy--5 roosters and only 1 pullet! You must protect her from the boys as they will hurt her. Sometimes the hatches come out pretty even, sometimes not--your next may have 5 girls and l boy. I have just a few more pullets than cockerels this year, for a couple ofyears I hatched many more cockerels, but since I sell show and breeding birds, there is always someone who need just a new male and I manage to find them good homes. Right now Ihave a pen of 10 cockerels, there is a little rough play, but no fighting. Another pen has 10 pullets! If they had been left together, the boys would definitly be fighting and the pullets would be savaged as well. Later, they will go off in pairs or trios and the girls will be glad to have just one cockerel for a "leader". Don't know what breed you have or if y ou have a chance for fryers for your freezer. But if you need to find homes, an ad in your local shopping news will doubtless find homes, where colorful garden bugeaters are needed, not eggs! Good luck, CJR
By Cjeanr on Tuesday, July 31, 2001 - 01:54 pm:
By HannahH on Wednesday, August 1, 2001 - 09:35 pm:
By Cjeanr on Wednesday, August 1, 2001 - 10:11 pm: