Few things make one feel more like a farmer, and provide as much return, as a small flock of chickens. From the cock’s crow in the morning, to the contented chatter the hens provide throughout the day, to the obvious benefit of eggs and meat, raising poultry can be a very rewarding experience.
However, as the experienced farmer knows, even if you’re not hatching your own, chicks are notoriously hard to sex. So even if you order a straight run of poulets, a rooster or two may end up in the bunch. Depending on how often this happens, and how many chickens you have, this could result in one of the oldest and most violent of barnyard struggles–the cockfight. Read on for some tips and tricks on how to break up this instance of avian aggression.
Touching Gloves
There is sometimes no opening bell. Cock fights can come on sudden. One moment, your roosters are scratching peacefully in the dirt, the next, they’re resolving their differences in a flurry of feathers and spurs. Other times, a rooster may pick a fight in an obvious manner, by attempting to breed hens which don’t belong to his harem. In either case, the battling birds will go at it hard, flaring their hackles like Dilophosauri and gouging at each other with their spurs.
First off, despite what your instincts may tell you, don’t separate the birds. If you do, the roosters will simply be back at it as soon as you’ve wandered off. Just keep an eye on them for the moment. Best-case scenario, one rooster will surrender. This generally signals the end of things, and your barnyard will settle back into peaceful tranquility soon. If this doesn’t happen however, what comes next?
The Fight
Much like a tactical boxing match, cock fights are long, drawn-out affairs. Through the first 15- to 20-odd minutes, little is really decided. After this period however, a clear winner and loser should emerge. The trick is how the interaction continues from here. If the victorious bird only pursues the submissive loser a short distance, then lets him alone, the pecking order has been established, and the fight is unlikely to recur. At this point, you can declare the fight over by technical knockout. If one rooster continues to beat up on the other, however, it’s time to step in and separate the warring parties.
Breaking it up
While you’ve probably seen or heard of folks reaching in and grabbing roosters by the feet, truth is that can lead to some fairly nasty cuts and scratches. To separate fighting roosters, covering them in water first is your best option. Grab a hose or bucket, and douse the birds. This should stun them enough that you can then reach in and grab one or the other by the legs without injury, though gloves are still highly recommended. From here, wash their wounds with some warm water and a towel, so you can accurately determine what is and is not serious.
Roosters primarily attack each others’ heads, and head wounds bleed quite a bit, so no matter how bloody it seems, stay calm. Most of the damage is generally cosmetic, and will heal. Spurs, also, can dislodge in the heat of battle, and the stumps will bleed profusely. A little flour from the kitchen will stifle the bleeding. Of course, if any wounds look to be more on the serious side—injuries to the eyes, for instance—take the rooster to your vet. He should be able to deal with their care.
Post-Fight Press Conference
Afterwards, and particularly if these two particular birds have fought before, try to determine what caused the struggle in the first place to avoid any future conflict. After all, no one wants to see their birds fighting. Maybe the two boys are just suffering from a bit of cabin fever, and need separate coops. Or maybe you simply don’t have enough hens to sustain two roosters—each rooster should have 10-15 hens to himself. Any fewer can cause recurring battles. In any event, more hens and more space should soothe any flaring tensions between your prize birds.
A humble homesteader based in an undisclosed location, Lars Drecker splits his time between tending his little slice of self-sustaining heaven, and bothering his neighbors to do his work for him. This is mainly the fault of a debilitating predilection for fishing, hunting, camping and all other things outdoors. When not engaged in any of the above activities, you can normally find him broken down on the side of the road, in some piece of junk he just “fixed-up.”
Thomas Lanier says
Reminds me of what Big Daddy Colby’s said, “”Sometimes, you have to let you roosters fight it out to see who was going to be head rooster. One got the hens; the other got your mother’s frying pan when that Baptist Preacher was coming for dinner.”
Janet Graham says
Attachment
Life is so much better for the hens if they only have one rooster. With 2 or more roosters ‘working’ them, they lose feathers and don’t eat enough. They won’t lay as many eggs and act jumpy all of the time. Pick your favorite rooster and send the other down the road.
Rocking Randy says
I love that picture. If you are not the head rooster leading the way, nothing else matters.
Dan Milhous says
Reminds me of the good ole days when Colonel Coot would organize, Swindling Swede would set the odds on each hack, and Candlestick Jack would haul in the corn liquor for the event.
Bert Grant says
I remember purchasing corn liquor from Candlestick Jack in the dorms at the University of Chicago back in 1969. He said that he purchased it from some guy named “Cowhide” down in Northeast Mississippi. That was some of the smoothest corn liquor that I ever drank. Carried some down to my brother at Kent State who mixed it with LSD for a wild trip. Thought he was “Aunt Bee” and started running around the Kent State dorm calling everyone “Opie” and asking if they had clean underwear on. Mommy was not proud of her son.
Mike Stephens says
I remember Candlestick Jack. He lived in the same dorm as I did. He had a pet rooster that he called “Ben-Hur”. That damn rooster would start crowing at 5:30 in the freking morning while we were all hung over on Jack’s Mississippi “Bug Juice” as he called it.
Jeffry Fanok says
Like in the scene on Cold Mountain, where the shorter woman states , after grabbing a flogging rooster, I can’t stand a flogging rooster, snaps his neck and asks, GOT A POT.
Jimmie R Bryan says
Chicken gumbo!
Mike says
Once we have them separated and cleaned up, should we decide which one will be on the table on Sunday? Solve the problem permanently?