Will cockerels necessarily fight?

[greatbarnet]

I was wondering whether anyone has experience of cockerels getting along? I have a Wyandotte bantam cockerel, about 18 months old I believe, and he's in with two hens. I have also hatched out 3 chicks, now 13 weeks old, who are Wyandotte bantam/Welsummer chicken crosses. One is a cockerel and looks like he'll be bigger than the bantam - his feet are enormous! At the moment the two trios are in separate runs as they are on different feed, but are next to each other. The youngster hasn't started crowing yet so there's been no signs of upset from the older cockerel and I plan to put them all in together when the younger ones move onto layers pellets in a few weeks time.

I've just taken delivery of a new run for the younger lot; I ordered it because I wanted to give them a bit more space until they go in with the others, but also in anticipation of having to split the cockerels up in future. But am I jumping the gun? Will they almost certainly start fighting eventually, or might they not?

The thing is, the run took longer to arrive than I'd hoped so with only a couple of weeks of them being apart now my dilemma is whether to return the the new run unopened (which will cost me a bit in courier charges, but at least I'll get the purchase price back), but then there's a chance I will need to reorder it all again in a few months anyway, so should I just get on and build it? What are the chances they will fight?

I wish I could make up my mind what to do!

 

[mightymohan]

if the young one is going to be bigger than the older one he will eventually want to take his place as top dog so there will be a fight, the top cockerel will chase the other one around and constantly want to assert his dominance. if they have alot of space to keep away from each other they wil be ok but if the lower ranked cockerel cant escape his life will be fairly miserable.

 

[foxy]

Echo the above post by MM, however, I have cockerels that live together without a problem. They do have a huge run containing the oldest cockerel, 7 year old cochin, plus 2 younger boys at about 7 months old each, no idea how many hens probably around 12 at the moment. I imagine though I may have problems next spring when the sap rises but by then would have separated them anyhow. It is a question of just see how it goes and be around to sort out any problems.

 

[Lordcluck]

I keep my current year 'spare' cockerels together in a bachelor group, out of sight of any females, about 20 of them atm, they get along pretty well, the odd kick and flap now and again, but no blood drawn yet. This is because I run two adult cocks with them that police the young whipper snappers, but the order will change eventually as the young saplings gain in size and confidence.
As soon as blood is drawn in earnest, They will be disbanded as a group, and some tough decisions will need to be made!

 

[Chuck]

I wouldn't send the new coop back because it's almost impossible to anticipate how they will react. They can rub along together for long periods then for no apparent reason, they kick off which can lead to severe injury or death.

 

[chrismahon]

Our experience is as Chuck describes. Bit of bickering suddenly turns into a bloodbath.We had 20 cockerels in an enclosure with no sight of hens but the fighting started at 6 months and by 9 months they had all been separated to preserve the best. Usually you would put a 'peacekeeper' in with the cockerels. He keeps order and stops the fighting. But he has to be removed at 6 months or they will attack him.

 

[greatbarnet]

Thanks for the replies. I think I did buy the new run a bit soon, but probably worth hanging onto it anyway. I will probably try them all in together for a while but separate them by the spring as you suggest. I might then get a couple of new hens to go in with the separated-out cockerel (an excuse to get more hens!)

Hatching those eggs was a thrill, and I love my babies, but it has turned out to be absolutely the most expensive way to get 3 chickens I could ever have imagined...!

 

[Chuck]

Hatching those eggs was a thrill, and I love my babies, but it has turned out to be absolutely the most expensive way to get 3 chickens I could ever have imagined...![/quote]

Interesting you should say that as most people completely under estimate the cost of rearing pullet growers, then add on the cost of rearing the young males until at least you can tell for certain their sex. Worth the experience a couple of times at least though.