- Sep 7, 2012
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Ok, for those who wanted to know, here is what I have done so far to integrate my rooster with the 15 hens, First I moved him to my barn and put him in a wire dog kennel so he could see well. The barn has a large door and the coops are 50 yards or so straight across from the barn so he can see the hens. I put him on the floor of the barn in the kennel and then let the chickens free range and they came into the barn and looked him over. Most ignored him for the most part, but a couple hens puffed up their chests and went at him for a minute or two and then went about their business. One hen stuck around the cage and ate grain on the floor for a while.
No problem with any of that. I did that for a couple days. Then I decided to let him out of the cage in the barn by himself to see what he would do and he basically stayed inside the barn and strolled around for a while. I did this for a couple days. Then finally I let him out of the cage and then let the chickens run and they came to the barn and saw him free for the first time. Several hens went to the cat food dish to check for anything to eat and he went over and pushed his way around a bit and they left. No big deal.
After a day or so of letting him run free, he discovered where the original hens & rooster were he was originally with and then all he wanted to do was run up and down the fence line trying to get back in and would not hang out with the other flock that was free ranging. I then decided to put him in their run by himself while they were free ranging to acquaint him to the setup and layout and get used to the run and all he did was run up and down the fence line with the original flock which is separated by chain link.
Last of all I finally let the hens back into the run when they were done free ranging with him still in the run. As long as all he did was walk around they all pretty much ignored him and were busy eating their nighttime snacks before roosting. However, he is terrified of them. If they came around him at all he started flapping and running and carrying on so of course they went after him after he did that. I have attempted this for several days and end up returning him to the barn every night.
Anyone have any idea why he is so afraid of them? Is it because he is so young? Any suggestions as to what to do at this point?
No problem with any of that. I did that for a couple days. Then I decided to let him out of the cage in the barn by himself to see what he would do and he basically stayed inside the barn and strolled around for a while. I did this for a couple days. Then finally I let him out of the cage and then let the chickens run and they came to the barn and saw him free for the first time. Several hens went to the cat food dish to check for anything to eat and he went over and pushed his way around a bit and they left. No big deal.
After a day or so of letting him run free, he discovered where the original hens & rooster were he was originally with and then all he wanted to do was run up and down the fence line trying to get back in and would not hang out with the other flock that was free ranging. I then decided to put him in their run by himself while they were free ranging to acquaint him to the setup and layout and get used to the run and all he did was run up and down the fence line with the original flock which is separated by chain link.
Last of all I finally let the hens back into the run when they were done free ranging with him still in the run. As long as all he did was walk around they all pretty much ignored him and were busy eating their nighttime snacks before roosting. However, he is terrified of them. If they came around him at all he started flapping and running and carrying on so of course they went after him after he did that. I have attempted this for several days and end up returning him to the barn every night.
Anyone have any idea why he is so afraid of them? Is it because he is so young? Any suggestions as to what to do at this point?
