Introducing 2 pullets to cockrel and 2 pullets (is my cockrel showing "good behavior"?)

[ash_en_em]

Hello fellow BYC lovers! I'm in the "see no touch" phase, and in day two. I've been giving mealworms on each side of the pens, closest to one another several times a day. At first, my existing cockrel and pullets were sort of pacing the divide while scoping out the two new girls (all are australorps at about 3 months of age). This subsided today.

This morning I opened the door to the existing 3's coop for the usual free ranging. My two existing girls strolled out as they normally would, but my cockrel was hesitant. They ranged for about an hour and a half, and he went back in the run, two existing girls followed (I think they love him dearly) to situate himself where he could see the two new girls and the two existing girls. He hasn't really left that area since.

The two existing girls will go out to nibble on grass/ bugs, but won't go far from him. He'll stand up and go rui check on them, but then he's right back to where everyone can be observed.

I'm assuming this is a good sign, since he's trying to watch over everyone. Is this a sign that the "beak to beak" introduction without separation will go better? Do you guys think he'll help manage any bullying? Here's a picture of them

The new girls are in the red run extension with a dog crate attached as a temporary coop. You can see my crockrels head poking up, surveying the land and checking out if I have treats lol

P.S. My new (much much larger) coop/run will be finished next weekend and everyone will be moving in. This is not the official set up.

 

[ash_en_em]

@MillersFarm I love your profile picture!

 

[TheTwoRoos]

He’s young.No telling if he will stop bullying.Most generally they will stop fights but haven’t yet noticed them stop normal behavior such as chasing and pecking.He is young still and already sounds mature,so he probably will make a great fit.

 

[AbbysSilkies]

Hello fellow BYC lovers! I'm in the "see no touch" phase, and in day two. I've been giving mealworms on each side of the pens, closest to one another several times a day. At first, my existing cockrel and pullets were sort of pacing the divide while scoping out the two new girls (all are australorps at about 3 months of age). This subsided today.

This morning I opened the door to the existing 3's coop for the usual free ranging. My two existing girls strolled out as they normally would, but my cockrel was hesitant. They ranged for about an hour and a half, and he went back in the run, two existing girls followed (I think they love him dearly) to situate himself where he could see the two new girls and the two existing girls. He hasn't really left that area since.

The two existing girls will go out to nibble on grass/ bugs, but won't go far from him. He'll stand up and go rui check on them, but then he's right back to where everyone can be observed.

I'm assuming this is a good sign, since he's trying to watch over everyone. Is this a sign that the "beak to beak" introduction without separation will go better? Do you guys think he'll help manage any bullying? Here's a picture of them
View attachment 1412839
The new girls are in the red run extension with a dog crate attached as a temporary coop. You can see my crockrels head poking up, surveying the land and checking out if I have treats lol

P.S. My new (much much larger) coop/run will be finished next weekend and everyone will be moving in. This is not the official set up.

You’re only adding pullets? I think it’ll be fine!! Maybe I’m just inexperienced, but I’ve always had an easy time introducing new birds — right now I just added two 2 month old pullets, and the other ones pick on them a little bit, but I did the same thing with some bantam pullets last fall and after a week they were all getting along well. These are bantams being added to flocks of full size hens, and they are all best pals now! If they’re all the same breed they should get along great after a week or so. Maybe. I’ve only had chickens for a little over a year, but in my experience they’ll be ok

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Young birds are not as bad about as birds who are grow and lived together for four or five or six years.

 

[ash_en_em]

Thank you guys all for your help! I think he'll be a great rooster (fingers crossed anyway), and I was hoping since they're about the same age/ size it would go smoother. I didn't know integration when they're all younger goes easier! I've read so much about bringing in new birds but haven't heard that!