How to Introduce two roosters?

We have a 5 month old Black Copper (or Blue Copper) Rooster that we hatched out. He has been the sole rooster for that time period. A few weeks ago, we purchased a Cuckoo Maran Rooster and two hens. We have been keeping the roosters seperate by putting one in the A frame and letting the other out with the hens (about 28 of them), and visa versa. We make sure that one or the other gets free time to free range and if we can catch the one that has the time out we swap them so that they can both be out in the day. This is getting stressful for both of them. Until the bears here actually do go to bed (we had one try to claw it's way into our crawlspace two days ago), we have to keep the chickens in until one of us has time to be the sentry.... Anyway, I am looking for advice for introducing these two roosters without a fight to the death. Any suggestions?

I suggest just putting them together. You can do it at night to reduce your stress over it. They will either work it out in a few hours or they won't. If there are enough dark corners and roosts in your main coop, you can probably just leave them alone even if they can't get along. I find having a 3 rooster minimum provides an easier balance.

I actually suggest to do it in the day when they freerange. Space is your friend in these sort of cases. They will fight, but space will allow the loser to get away. Do this until the pecking order has been established.
The sooner you can get them together in the morning and freerange the better so they think they slept together. Make sure when you do keep then together there is hiding places for the underdog so he doesn't get hurt or killed.
It is tough to do what you want, but not impossible with the right roosters. Good luck.

coopslave wrote:I actually suggest to do it in the day when they freerange. Space is your friend in these sort of cases. They will fight, but space will allow the loser to get away. Do this until the pecking order has been established.
The sooner you can get them together in the morning and freerange the better so they think they slept together. Make sure when you do keep then together there is hiding places for the underdog so he doesn't get hurt or killed.
It is tough to do what you want, but not impossible with the right roosters. Good luck.

If you're trying to get them to think they slept together, why wouldn't you actually just havethem sleep together?

I have just found when they are confined they do the most damage to each other. Just my experience, others may have found things to be different for them.

I suppose you could cage the introducee until you release him, get them used to eachother from the crack of dawn without any chance of abuse. Then release whenever they get let out for the day.

I like to put two Roos together in a neutral territory first, them move them where you want them. I like to do it at night.

First you must have a name for each rooster. Bring them out together and have them facing. I would start with the bigger one calling them by name Copper this is cockoo, and cuckoo this is cooper. Have them shake wing if you can. They should be fine after that.

Do you have a tractor or a big wire cage you could put one in during the day while everyone ranges? Then put that one in the coop once everyone is roosted for the night. I think that would be enough exposure myself. If you have enough hens the boys should have enough to keep them occupied, hopefully. I guess there could be some sparring but it sounds like the hens are well-acquainted with them, it's just the two that need to meet.

I never had any luck with just two roosters in with the hens unless they were raised up together.(and were same breed)
3 seems a better number.
Good luck, it is a bit tricky but can be done I'm sure, depending on the rooster's personalities.