Want to add a rooster to my flock - need some advice

[mpgo4th]

I forgot to say that during the day his cage is in the run with the girls so they are face to face but no touching.

 

[Papalote Roos]

It takes time. He's younger not dominant yet. My roosters are the opposite. Agressive, always after the hens even a small bantam hen. Good thing she can fly out of the way. I just want my Game rooster to remain my dominant rooster. He's smaller but very protective of his harem.

 

[mpgo4th]

He's beautiful.

 

[melodyrg]

Jumping in here! I'm also adding a rooster the same age as my 20 week old hens very soon, some people say to just throw him in but my instincts tell me to keep him in quarantine for a week or so and slowly integrate him, any suggestions?

 

[tommysgirl]

I got a Delaware cockerel and pullet and introduced them to our big girls while free ranging. It is nice to know that the young guy will eventually grow into himself. Right now they run him around like crazy. He is the biggest dork in the yard, like a pimply 13 year old at the Miss America Pagent. No one is abusing him but they certainly don't want anything to do with him yet. Thanks to those of you on this thread who have contributed your experience.

 

[Papalote Roos]

Separating for a week or so, I think, is a practical idea. It's an adjustment period. It gives the flock time to accept him. At one point, we put new chickens in a separate enclosure but right next to the existing chicken coop. This way there was interactions as chickens passed each other. It was about 2 wks and then released them (11 pullets and cockrels). After this the pecking order began. A day or so it took for them to iron out the politics. But more than one rooster might be a problem. So choose your rooster carefully. My roosters services 6 hens and he is always chasing off the other 4 cockrels. God bless.

 

[Frizzle13]

If they are about the same age I normally just stick them in. They should be plenty bigger than the hens and Roos are tough. I did this with all my current Roos and after a bit of a stare down with all the hens they have been fine. Specially my little silkie who was 10 weeks wen I added him in now nobody can take his hens

 

[sane cat lady]

A good rule of thumb in any form of animal husbandry is to get the Highest quality Male that you can, In this case I would contact a few local hatcheries that breed Plymouth (barred) rocks and see if they have any young cockerels available or if anyone that bought chicks from them had an extra male, if you want your Roo to be people friendly you may want to get a very young boy and give him lots of special attention.

 

[Hayduke27]

when you do find one you can just throw him in with the hens and if he is of breeding age he should start mating with them right off and when you put him in the dominant hen will peck at him but if he's old enough he should lay down the law and show here that he is the boss then he should be okay and after a while the hens will follow him around just watch him sometimes they get over protective of his hens and will attack you if he gets that away don't hit him or get on to him just walk out of the pe and keep on going if you discourage him he wont protect the hens from predators i had a rooster that killed a raccoon that was trying to get one of the hens i know this first hand my old lead rooster was aggressive towards things that touched his hands until i kicked him and after that i lost 23 red star hens to a cougar so now i only have 27 red star hens but i don't have him any more he went off the deep end when he spurred me in the head for grabbing a bantam hen that got in the pen with him but other than that the age of the bird shouldn't matter i recommend getting a bird younger or the same age as the hens so that away he will live longer

Gold medal for longest sentence I've read on BYC!

 

[dsf8854]

Sorry to inform you guys I lost my bany. She had such a severe cross beak, just couldn't get enough nutrition.