6 ways to keep the boys quiet

It makes practical sense to keep roosters for meat in one pen, but it can pose a problem if they start fighting when testosterone kicks in.

• TRY to group roosters of the same age, colour, and size.

• KEEP them out of sight of your hens and main breeding rooster/roosters.

• LOOK out for bullying of smaller roosters or injuries, and quickly remove the affected bird to a separate area.

• ALWAYS have feed and water available in lots of troughs over a wide area so birds can avoid each other where possible.

• HAVE a variety of different shelters and perching areas so they can spread out. Place cardboard boxes and/or plant tall grasses so they can move out of each other’s sight.

• IN their last week or two, give them something to do such as pecking blocks – hang cabbages at rooster head height, and/or cut up pieces of pumpkin and scatter them throughout the run. Distractions help them to use up energy and focus on something other than fighting.