When can I add my older roo to his new harem of females!!

[crimsonmama]

My pen of female chicks will be five weeks old on the weekend (3 days from now). My roo has been next to them for about three weeks so they can get used to each other through the bars. My females seem quite taken with him, queing up to be closest to the side he's on. However on a very brief test today they were happy to see him without bars until he started trying to chase and mount them and then they were very upset!
When can he go in full time with them? I was thinking when they are 6 weeks old. They are still going to be scared at first! Do we just have to let them get on with it whilst he settles in?? I guess he would calm down after the first excitement of having new females? He still has his original partner so he hasn't been totally going without!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

How old is he?

Regardless of when you put them together he is likely to begin making advances and trying to mount them, as you've seen, which means you are subjecting them to several months of harassment by him before they are ready to partake in mating. That is a rather stressful situation for them. On the other hand, that means that currently all his energy is being directed toward his current hen, which is not a good situation either.

Hopefully someone else chimes in, because I am at a loss.

 

[DK newbie]

I'd say 6-8 weeks, just because that's when the birds mature. They are still putting on some weight by week 8, but not much, so after that I don't think it makes much of a difference when you introduce them, but before then he is most likely still very heavy compared to them.
Also, adding distractions like treats and a dust bath during the introduction might make it easier.

 

[crimsonmama]

How old is he?

Regardless of when you put them together he is likely to begin making advances and trying to mount them, as you've seen, which means you are subjecting them to several months of harassment by him before they are ready to partake in mating. That is a rather stressful situation for them. On the other hand, that means that currently all his energy is being directed toward his current hen, which is not a good situation either. 

Hopefully someone else chimes in, because I am at a loss.

I've had him about 4 months and he was full grown so I guess he could be up to six months old? I got him with the female so it was just the two for a few months and she seems to be doing well. She even misses him when removed! So I don't think she is over stressed by him. She even went broody and hatched some of her own chicks although during that time she was aggressive to the male and they were separated for few weeks. But she wanted him back once the chicks were a week old!

I'd say 6-8 weeks, just because that's when the birds mature. They are still putting on some weight by week 8, but not much, so after that I don't think it makes much of a difference when you introduce them, but before then he is most likely still very heavy compared to them.
Also, adding distractions like treats and a dust bath during the introduction might make it easier.

Yeah they are still not full adult size. Poor little things! It's just I have four separate pens at the mo to clean out every two days! I can't wait to get to my planned two pens (one of the male with his females and the other either a indoor bachelor pad or just hens depending on how many roos or hens my youngest chicks turn out to be).

 

[BobDBirdDog]

Over thinking it.
Nature is nature and birds will be birds. Put the roo in with the flock as they have already accepted him. If he tries to jump and hump or give the chase, he is just trying to do his job and the hens will let him do his job when the time comes. If you don't, you will face this problem when the time comes (when you want them to breed for the eggs) and will face the same thing at a later date.

He does sound eager for the beaver, but he does not sound like he is going cannibal on them, so it should calm down a little after a bit! It is coming spring time and time for him to get busy, so giving him the green light now will simply allow the hens time to accept and get use to him and the aggression as the mate spite the fact they are avoiding him now.

Its inevitable!

 

[Beekissed]

They are much too young for him to be with them unless he has more older hens with which to mate. He could kill pullets that young in his efforts to breed them...I've had that happen with a WR cockerel that was in with some CX chicks. As soon as they got a little size on them he started trying to mate them and killed a few before I could find out what was happening. He was then removed from the picture.

They'll have to be much closer to his age and size before it's wise to integrate them. You can join them with the older hen but pen that rooster up separately until the pullets are older.

 

[5danehouse]

I had an only roo for a year. My chicks went into a coop with wire separating him from them until they were full grown, He was free range and they were cooped. The youngest were 5 months and the oldest hens were 7 months when I let them all go free range. 2 5 month roosters went into the mix at the same time. The hens were fully grown and the roosters were still young enough to learn manners from the older roo. It didn't hurt the roo to wait and it guaranteed that the hens were fully mature and ready for him. There were very few squabbles, the hens haven.t. been over bred and everything went well. Give your girls time to mature. They deserve it. Oh, there are 46 hens and the 3 roos.

 

[BobDBirdDog]

Errr....These are Coturnix that is being discussed ...right? or Bobs? with Bobs they are way to young, but cots are dang close to adults at 5 weeks; technically having their adult birthday at 6 weeks and laying eggs at 7-8 weeks......

I have always seen the roo (sometimes the hens as well) go after the new comers to the domain. You may want to wait 7 to 14 more days before putting them together, but the events are most likely going to be the same. Just put some covers in there for them to hide behind as to evade when they need to, and add a second temporary feeder and water near by but far away from the main feeder so they can eat and drink without having be fully exposed.

Birds will be birds.

 

[crimsonmama]

I've added the older female to the chicks and she's not bothering them other than kicking them out the hay box or sandbox when she wants it lol. However one of my golden chicks (they are all 5 weeks old now) is picking on one of the brown ones despite being hatch mates. The kids don't like this one bullying but I guess this is normal bird behaviour, establishing the pecking order? Someone has to be bottom of the pack?

My roo is still on his own but next to the others so they still see each other. Thanks for all the advice! I think I may go by size rather than age. My 5 week old are nearly full size so maybe a few more weeks yet....

 

[Beekissed]

Totally missed the fact that these were quail.....disregard previous comments. I have no experience with quail whatsoever.