Introducing a roo to the ladies

[RenaeS]

I have 12 hens. They vary in age from an older lady to a year old. None of them have had a rooster before. He has finished his quarantine period and has been in a fenced coop by himself in the ladies area for a few days. I let him out for a little bit supervised. My oldest hen was running at him and chest bumping him. He did the same back. Even one of my little hens did the same. I am worried that the hens will hurt themselves. I made him go back in his side. I can't supervise all day. All but 2 of the hens went in the outside yard to get away from him.

Any tips or tricks?

 

[Mrs. K]

Let him out, and let them be. They will be in love by morning.

 

[aart]

How old, in months, is the male?

 

[3KillerBs]

A mature rooster will wow them and win them over promptly -- though there *could* be some drama with the more dominant hens.

A teenage cockerel in the hormonal stage will need to grow up a bit before they respect him -- which is not *necessarily* a bad thing (though he shouldn't be being beaten up).

A young cockerel who hasn't even hit the teen hormonal stage will probably have the hardest time and the longest period before he takes control of the flock but he'll get there eventually if the hens aren't beating him up.

IMO, it's good to let mature hens teach a cockerel good chicken manners. But it's bad to let aggressive hens bully and beat up any other flock member.

*Mostly* if there's no blood there's no issue (and I'll forgive a young cockerel a few mildly bloodied combs (especially if he's a big boy trying to mount the smaller California White hens and accidentally grabbing those big, floppy combs instead of the feathers on the backs of their necks as he should).

 

[triciayoung]

I agree with @3KillerBs

 

[fluffycrow]

×3

 

[RenaeS]

How old, in months, is the male?

He is a year old

 

[3KillerBs]

He is a year old

He should win them over fairly quickly then. There could be some dominance struggles if you have a very dominant hen.

No blood = no problem.

Personally, I wouldn't watch. Chicken society can be rather rough by human standards, but they know what they're doing. Leave them alone and check back later to make sure no one is actually hurt.

 

[fluffycrow]

He should win them over fairly quickly then. There could be some dominance struggles if you have a very dominant hen.

No blood = no problem.

Personally, I wouldn't watch. Chicken society can be rather rough by human standards, but they know what they're doing. Leave them alone and check back later to make sure no one is actually hurt.