What to do if roosters fight among themselves and ways to prevent aggression

Those who have chickens led by several roosters on their farm often encounter aggressive behavior from their leaders. Violent males cause a lot of problems for the owner, because by doing this they disrupt the order in the poultry house and make the laying hens nervous, reducing their egg production. It is important to understand the situation, why roosters fight among themselves, what to do about it, and how not to harm the bird family.

Causes of rooster fights

It is in the nature of roosters to protect their hens from competitors and various predators. The number of females that must be with him to ensure feeding and fertilization depends on the strength of the rooster. If there are two or more males in the chicken coop, fights between them are inevitable in order to establish hierarchical stability of the flock. They begin to sort things out at the age of nine weeks.

Why roosters start fighting and attacking each other depends on various reasons:

1. The male was acquired as a teenager or in adulthood. He cannot accept the fact of his master's authority, since his character has already been formed.
2. The struggle between the old and young rooster in order to establish a new hierarchy. A young rooster is a stranger to the flock, while an old rooster will defend its territory, sometimes fiercely and bloodily.
3. Competition between young roosters trying to take the place of the dominant leader in the flock.
4. The imprint on the character of one of the males can be left by the past negative attitude of the owner or other chickens towards him, as a result of which the rooster grew up hostile against others.
5. The cramped conditions in the coop force the birds to survive each other due to the resulting stress.
6. The norm for the ratio of roosters and hens has not been calculated: there are too many males in the flock.
7. Aggressive behavior intensifies in the spring, when mating processes are activated.

Fighting between roosters is problematic for bird owners because it distracts the males from what is most important: covering the hens. During the fighting period, chickens eat poorly, experience stress, lay eggs less often, and lose weight.

What to do if roosters fight each other

There are many ways to try to reconcile restless roosters. By providing the necessary conditions in the chicken coop, over time it will be possible to achieve healthy competition, productive males and full-fledged defenders.

Insulation

Often young roosters who have recently joined the flock become aggressive. Their place has not yet been determined, and they become the subject of attack by strong individuals. As a result, the young male can become aggressive himself and attack everyone he considers dangerous to himself. Isolation will help solve the problem - the owner allocates a separate aviary or chicken coop for the rebel to minimize meetings between warring roosters.

It is not recommended to let him out for a general walk until the aggressor stops behaving warily.

Hunger strike

A starvation diet will help teach a fighter a lesson. Having isolated it immediately after the attack, it is necessary to leave only clean water and not visit the bird for two days. So, the cockerel will not die from dehydration, and will think about its behavior. Since chickens have episodic memory, this will allow the owner to play the role of savior. After 2 days, having entered the enclosure and fed the rooster, you can see that he is glad to meet you and has become more flexible.

Beak debilitation

Debeaking or beak trimming will help protect weaker individuals from attacks by aggressive feathered pets. Inexperienced poultry farmers consider this method to be unnecessarily cruel, but the cut off tip of the beak does not subsequently prevent the rooster from consuming food and drink. At the same time, roosters stop pecking calm birds. One of the common methods of debeaking is the use of hot blades. Laser cutting is also used, but much less frequently due to the high cost.Beak trimming in adults should only be done as a last resort and with the assistance of an experienced professional.

Eliminate irritants

There may be cases of aggressive behavior of roosters due to irritating factors. It is necessary to pay attention to at what moment the male’s mood changes, what provokes him. This could be bright clothes or sudden movements. Sometimes small children show aggression towards chickens, and then roosters towards their relatives.

By carefully observing the behavior of the bird, you can understand what it reacts to so sharply and eliminate the reasons for provoking aggression.

Mirror

By installing a mirror in the chicken coop, the owner will provide the bully with a new “enemy” in the person of himself. The feathered one will begin to fight with the reflection, forgetting about other opponents. This method has 2 significant drawbacks: the rooster can ignore the mirror or, conversely, injure itself too much.

Particularly violent individuals can knock their chest and head off the mirror.

Dye

The main task of the rooster is to ensure order and discipline in the chicken coop. The presence of a bright color makes the leader more attractive. To give bright colors, natural dyes are usually used: brilliant green, henna, basma. They should be applied to the most prominent places: wings, back, neck. This way you will be able to attract the attention of the hens and the rooster will not have time to sort things out with his opponent.

Special glasses

The invention of Chinese farmer Xiao Long was forced. He said there were frequent fights between roosters on the farm, resulting in the death of up to 10 birds a day. He concluded that the birds see each other and this is a challenge for them. Glasses were invented in the form of a small plastic bracket that is attached to the beak. The eyes are covered with plates.The bird can eat and drink, but does not see an object at which to direct aggression. Glasses are not a panacea, they only limit an uncontrollable situation. In a tight, confined space, birds have a heightened sense of touch; they can peck each other’s feathers and down by touch.

Pouring water

Only strong, healthy individuals can tolerate water rearing. The fact is that water treatments are very stressful for birds. The exception is some chickens who like to swim in water at their own request. In other cases, such upbringing can result in a serious illness.

The method should be carried out immediately at the crime scene. As soon as the roosters begin to fight, you need to catch the aggressor and dip him in a container of cold water, pour him out of a bucket or hose him down. The options are not fundamental; it is important to develop a reflex in the bird. As soon as the rooster begins to fight, the educational procedure is immediately repeated. Usually 5-7 repetitions of dousing with water are enough to correct the character of the troublemaker.

Whack the rooster

Physical punishment is an undesirable method and is used as a last resort when no other influences help. Animal rights activists oppose this method of punishment, arguing that it is violence against our smaller brothers. Experienced bird owners, on the contrary, consider this method effective, since it clearly conveys information to the raging male.

To regulate the reflex, punish the rooster immediately after attacking another. It is important to calculate the force so as not to harm the bird.

Degradation of status in front of chickens

The world of birds lives by its own rules.Among roosters, the most powerful opponent is the one who attacks first. If the owner enters the chicken coop and attacks the rooster first, he will try to escape. The instinct of self-preservation in all living beings comes first. By periodically reminding who is boss in the hen house, the owner will be able to lower the status of the rooster in front of the hens and soften his aggression, turning it into fear of a stronger rival.

Prevention of aggression

In order to prevent fights between roosters, you must follow the following rules:

1. The number of males should be optimal: for 1 rooster up to 12-16 hens.
2. Provide the chicken coop area with drinking bowls and feeders. By dividing into groups, the chickens will not share the area and there will be fewer fights.
3. If you have a large number of roosters in one coop, you can place an inclined ladder in the middle. To avoid a fight, weak individuals will run upstairs.
4. It is worth monitoring the nutrition and diet of birds. A balanced menu, feed and vitamins are an excellent prevention of stress in chickens.
5. The behavior of the birds depends on the lighting inside the chicken coop: it should not be too bright or, conversely, too dim.

Prevention of aggression in males does not always depend on the owner. Genetics often affects the behavior of birds. There are some breeds in which aggressive males are more common than others. When purchasing an adult, you need to make sure whether there have been attempts at aggression in the past..

Why do chickens peck each other?

Fights between females are no exception. Their behavior becomes aggressive for the following reasons:

• if there is no leader in the flock, then order and discipline are disrupted among the hens;
• cramped chicken coop, no free range;
• breed incompatibility;
• a small number of feeders and drinkers;
• winter, when chickens are often in a dark room;
• establishing a hierarchy between young and old birds;
• stress when changing environment.

It is enough to adjust the living conditions or, if necessary, add a male, then the behavior of the hens will change.

Preventive measures against pecking and cannibalism in chickens

Prevent pecking and cannibalism in chickens The following content changes will help:

• check temperature and humidity in accordance with standards;
• in hot, dry weather, spray tap water on the chickens;
• adjust the lighting (color the light bulbs red - this will calm the birds);
• ensure uniform access to drinking bowls and feeders;
• if the number of birds is more than 30-40, you need to divide the paddock or chicken coop;
• provide chickens with loose bedding;
• Laying hens' nests should be in dark places.

Farmers have noticed that by providing birds with free range, the risk of pecking or cannibalism is significantly reduced.