The Poultry Keeper

zorbachick · Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 11 Location: Greece

Hi am wondering if anyone can help,we are relatively new to chicken keeping so please understand my ignorance! We hatched 7 chicks in our incubator about 12 weeks ago,all doing really well even the one with the dodgy leg,did as suggested with card on base of foot after about 1 week a real improvement thanks.Now my problem is out of the 7 we have 2 cockerels until yesterday they have been fine roaming around the olive grove,but now they have started fighting are both friendly with me can pick them up,what do I do will they have to be separated please help.Many thanks

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1406 Location: Manchester

Are they fighting seriously or just squaring up to each other? If it's the latter then at that age I'd say it was just sorting out the pecking order and should pass quite soon. If not then you really need to separate the, but the rooster won't be happy on his own.

zorbachick · Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 11 Location: Greece

Hi I think that they are squaring up to each other they stretch up their necks fluff up feathers etc but are pecking each others heads and necks,do you think that this will pass as you said once they have found pecking order.All are free range roaming around our Olive grove so they are not in small area,our big cockerel takes no notice and does not bother with any of the smaller ones,(too busy with his hens!).Thank you for your quick reply as I would hate to see any harm come to them .

CP · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:40 am Post subject:

At 12 weeks old they won't be having any serious fights but just sorting out who is boss of them both. As they've grown up together they should be OK & also with the older cock if he tolerates them.

They can live together fairly peacefully as long as there's enough room & enough hens for them all. If not you may well get some fighting in the future. Wink

zorbachick · Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 11 Location: Greece

Thank you for reply,well that's good news they do have plenty of open space ,maybe will have to introduce some more hens ,roughly how many hens does a cockerel need ,our older one has 7 and seems happy with this amount.We have some chicks that are about 7 weeks old which are separated from the others these can be introduced at a later stage.

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1406 Location: Manchester

I've had a quick look round some websites and the answer seem to vary from 1:9 to 1:20 with some people having kept more roosters with their hens with no problems.

I think it's down to personal experience - see how it goes and make a decision from there.

zorbachick · Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 11 Location: Greece

Thanks for reply,will just have to wait and see how they get on with the hens we have .I did read the text on introducing new hens which is very useful.Thanks again.

jubilee · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 125 Location: nottinghamshire

Hi it also depends on the breed of chicken, a small bantam cockerel will manage more hens as he is alot more active than a heavy breed who can only manage 6 or 8 hens to one cockerel. bantams can manage up to 10 or even 12 hens. good luck with yours. xx

zorbachick · Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 11 Location: Greece

Thanks for your reply,our cockerel is a large lad so will have to see if his off spring take after him,mind you at the moment they are all not doing alot apart from dirt baths due to heat very hot for them but we do have alot of shade so they can get out of direct sun, but I will add it has not been that hot that he has left the hens alone! he still finds the energy!.