Rooster chick dos and donts

[HensInTheForest]

I am bringing home 5 chicks in a few days, one is a WTB rooster chick.

ive searched threads and articles about raising roosters.
This is our first.

We have 20 1 yr old hens now, just looking for advice on the first 6 weeks dos and donts for rooster chicks,

I am taking the attitude roosters are livestock hens can be treated more like pets.

Give me your top list of things to do and things NOT to do these first 6 to 8 weeks. All chicks will be in brooder in the coop Together but separate from the adult hen flock. Viewable not touchable.

Just curious what your thoughts are here on handling and feeding . . some say hold and feed him, some say don’t they may see you as something to challenge later if you do.

I can see both ways and yep I know we could get a nice or a not so nice one so we will see how this goes.

Not committed to keeping if he turns dangerous or aggressive with us. Can try again . . .

 

[prin23]

I snuggled my rooster from the day he hatched and he grew up to be the sweetest roo I’ve ever known. He was spoiled and such a baby though.. He would rather run indoors and hide behind me then protect the hens

ETA he was an Ameraucana

 

[DobieLover]

All chicks will be in brooder in the coop Together but separate from the adult hen flock. Viewable not touchable.

Have some chick size doors in the sides of the brooder. I used 3.5" wide x 5" high. When the chicks are 3-3.5 weeks old, lock the hens out of the coop in the afternoon when most of the egg laying is done and let the chicks out of the brooder through their door. Spend time showing them how to go back and forth through the doors. After about an hour of exploring the coop, open the pop door and let whatever hen wants to wander back in and sit and monitor. If you have a very large area for your hens to explore they will likely just be curious about the chicks. A little pecking and chasing here and there is normal and expected but nothing aggressive that will draw blood or look like the hen is out to kill.
After a while of interaction, herd the chicks back into their brooder and close them in. You can let them out for longer periods of time each day. Once they are about 5 weeks old you can leave the doors open and let them do what they want.
The only brood I raised this way integrated themselves and were roosting with the adults when they were 7 weeks old.

As for the cockerel... the hens will do more for his good manners than you ever could. I just leave all my pullets/cockerels to get tuned up and put in place by the adult hens and senior rooster. I don't overly handle any of my birds because the vast majority of them don't like being handled and it just stresses them out. They are prey animals and we are predators.

Every single cockerel here has grown up to be very good with the ladies and respectful of me. I've never had a problem with any aggression at all from them. Funny enough, my senior rooster and I have a sorted history of dozens of floggings but we generally get along just fine now. All his sons have had super temperaments.

 

[HensInTheForest]

Have some chick size doors in the sides of the brooder. I used 3.5" wide x 5" high. When the chicks are 3-3.5 weeks old, lock the hens out of the coop in the afternoon when most of the egg laying is done and let the chicks out of the brooder through their door. Spend time showing them how to go back and forth through the doors. After about an hour of exploring the coop, open the pop door and let whatever hen wants to wander back in and sit and monitor. If you have a very large area for your hens to explore they will likely just be curious about the chicks. A little pecking and chasing here and there is normal and expected but nothing aggressive that will draw blood or look like the hen is out to kill.
After a while of interaction, herd the chicks back into their brooder and close them in. You can let them out for longer periods of time each day. Once they are about 5 weeks old you can leave the doors open and let them do what they want.
The only brood I raised this way integrated themselves and were roosting with the adults when they were 7 weeks old.

As for the cockerel... the hens will do more for his good manners than you ever could. I just leave all my pullets/cockerels to get tuned up and put in place by the adult hens and senior rooster. I don't overly handle any of my birds because the vast majority of them don't like being handled and it just stresses them out. They are prey animals and we are predators.

Every single cockerel here has grown up to be very good with the ladies and respectful of me. I've never had a problem with any aggression at all from them. Funny enough, my senior rooster and I have a sorted history of dozens of floggings but we generally get along just fine now. All his sons have had super temperaments.

Thanks Dobie!

I already have a chick sized insert cut for the door of the brooder but was wondering what week to let them explore.

3 weeks it is - on my calendar!

Agreed on the adult hens, I’ve gained that from this forum so I will let them do their job with him.

We are excited again to get chicks and plan for maybe next spring hatching our very own rainbow layers for the first time!

Thank you

 

[DobieLover]

I already have a chick sized insert cut for the door of the brooder

Make more than one door. With 20 chicks, I'd make at least 3 doors. I found that multiple doors helped as did the lessons to make them understand how to run back through them without getting stuck in a corner where they can see into the brooder through the wire but are too panic stricken to know enough to get to the door to get in there.

 

[HensInTheForest]

Make more than one door. With 20 chicks, I'd make at least 3 doors. I found that multiple doors helped as did the lessons to make them understand how to run back through them without getting stuck in a corner where they can see into the brooder through the wire but are too panic stricken to know enough to get to the door to get in there.

Ok, I have 20 adult hens and just getting 5 chicks this round. But I will add that to my notes for next year if we hatch bid amount!

 

[DobieLover]

Ok, I have 20 adult hens and just getting 5 chicks this round. But I will add that to my notes for next year if we hatch bid amount!

Never mind!