Rehoming a hen with a rooster?

[All Ball]

So I know it's very difficult for a single hen to join a new flock. Has anyone had experience with a new hen accompanied by a new rooster?

I have a slightly special needs hen, bottom of the pecking order, who likes to yell extremely loudly, at any point in the day when she thinks I should come out and give her treats, I suppose. She sounds like a woman screaming, and she tends to get the other loudmouths going, so I'd be happy not to have that around, even though I would miss her quite large blue/green eggs...

Since I will likely have to rehome her brother, could she possibly integrate somewhat smoothly if she went with him? She has grown out of a lot of her "issues" - late feathering/sexual development, walking like a stormtrooper - so I am thinking she might even do better in another flock than she does here, if she comes in with the rooster, and is now exhibiting less weird behavior than she was in the chick days when her sisters turned their noses up at her. She still spends a lot of time foraging alone, or at a distance from the other girls, or hanging out at the boy's kennel. Her brother doesn't adore her like he does the "popular girls," but he tolerates her better than they do. I am trying the weigh the shock of a hard transition with the possibility of a better social situation for her. And the joy of not hearing that strangled screaming noise...

 

[aart]

Sounds like she is low bird in the pecking order.
How old is her brother?
Might depend on what flock they are going to(housing and population) and how they plan to handle the integration.

 

[All Ball]

Yes, she is way way down on the pecking order! They are both one year old.

I was thinking, since he didn't manage to wow all the chickens here, he may likely be more successful with a group of pullets, and that might also help his sister, if the other girls are a little younger than she is. Does that sound like the best scenario (understanding that finding him any home will be difficult....tho at least he is a cream legbar...)

Integration-wise, would you suggest the typical see-but-don't-touch approach until things have gotten past the snarly stage?

Thanks so much!

 

[aart]

Yes, she is way way down on the pecking order! They are both one year old.

I was thinking, since he didn't manage to wow all the chickens here, he may likely be more successful with a group of pullets, and that might also help his sister, if the other girls are a little younger than she is. Does that sound like the best scenario (understanding that finding him any home will be difficult....tho at least he is a cream legbar...)

Integration-wise, would you suggest the typical see-but-don't-touch approach until things have gotten past the snarly stage?

Thanks so much!

Always...and things will be 'snarly' for awhile no matter what.

Going to a flock with just pullets...how old?
Experienced chicken keepers, that have had a cockbird before?

 

[All Ball]

I have no idea at this point - I will start putting out the word, but would just rehome the roo and keep the noisy girl if it didn't look like a possibility, so I was asking to inform whether it's worth my advertising them together - I assume it will be easier to find him a home if he comes with a large-egg-laying sister! Even if she is a bit weird and noisy....so my strategy would be to see if the situation is one that might work for them.

Honestly, I'd love to keep him, but his broody mama is just not willing to play second fiddle to any other chicken, it's appearing. Either that or he is lacking in macho appeal for her.

 

[aart]

I have no idea at this point - I will start putting out the word, but would just rehome the roo and keep the noisy girl if it didn't look like a possibility, so I was asking to inform whether it's worth my advertising them together - I assume it will be easier to find him a home if he comes with a large-egg-laying sister! Even if she is a bit weird and noisy....so my strategy would be to see if the situation is one that might work for them.

Honestly, I'd love to keep him, but his broody mama is just not willing to play second fiddle to any other chicken, it's appearing. Either that or he is lacking in macho appeal for her.

Keep him and get rid of the hen is another option.

 

[All Ball]

Would be very hard to rehome my oldest hen, she's kind of been the big personality in the flock for a long time...sigh...