Integrating a new rooster

[FeatherLace]

So right now all of my chickens are together in their small temporary coop/run. I have 3 Bantam hens and a Bantam rooster, and 3 ayam cemani hens. I plan on separating the bantams and ayam cemanis to make pure cemani babies to sell. Their nice big coop/run is still in construction.

While I was originally going to wait to buy a cemani roo until the new housing was finished, I got notice that my ship date was a whole month earlier. This gives me much less time to find a good roo for a good price and introduce him to my original chickens. Just yesterday I found the perfect roo. Pure cemani, only 5 months old, no health issues, and only $30. I snatched him up before anyone else could. He is currently in a wire dog kennel with his own food and water inside the other chickens run. At first he was bowing up at the other rooster and making angry noises, but today he seems a lot calmer with no signs of pacing. Now, I don't read chickens super well so I don't know how to interpret what he's doing, but he's either trying to get with the other chickens to roost with them, or trying to get with the others to fight them. He's not making any sounds and feathers aren't fluffed, he's not jumping, etc, he's just trying to push against to door and follow the others around. I'm obviously not going to allow them to be together because hes almost twice the size of my bantams, but Id really like advice to pass onto my mom who will be watching over them when I ship off.
I was thinking to wait on a strictly see-dont-touch for a month for the bantams to gain some more size to them at least (i dont know when they are considered full grown, as they are 20 weeks now), then allowing then supervised interaction. By the time her is integrated the big coop should be finished and he should be with only the other cemani hens.
Is this too long? Is this not long enough?
Only times ive ever integrating chickens was when I introduced 3 grown hens to a grown solitary rooster and they were fully integrated in less than a week with no problems. Luck was probably on my side there.

I just dont want any issues between them, especially since they are very expensive chickens but also mostly because they are beloved pets to me.

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[NatJ]

Bantams at 20 weeks: they are full size already, or close enough that more time won't make much difference.

I would try letting the rooster out on the first day that you can be available to watch them, and see how it goes.

(If it does not go well, grab him and stick him back in the small crate.)

If you're able to divide the space into two pens, you could just put each rooster with the right hens and integration will be much easier--is the dog crate big enough to house all the bantams instead, and let the cemanis have the other space?

But if they will have to share space, then I think it's probably better to put them together sooner and watch them, rather than having an unknown situation for your mom to deal with when you go away.

 

[FeatherLace]

Bantams at 20 weeks: they are full size already, or close enough that more time won't make much difference.

I would try letting the rooster out on the first day that you can be available to watch them, and see how it goes.

(If it does not go well, grab him and stick him back in the small crate.)

If you're able to divide the space into two pens, you could just put each rooster with the right hens and integration will be much easier--is the dog crate big enough to house all the bantams instead, and let the cemanis have the other space?

But if they will have to share space, then I think it's probably better to put them together sooner and watch them, rather than having an unknown situation for your mom to deal with when you go away.

Thank you for the advice! I will try putting them together tomorrow, and if things don't work I will try putting the bantams in the crate. The crate is made for German Shepard sized dogs. Heres a pic of all of my chickens next to his crate.

The first time I set him in there he tried to jump at them but now he's not doing so. Do you think they'll be alright?

 

[NatJ]

The first time I set him in there he tried to jump at them but now he's not doing so. Do you think they'll be alright?

New rooster with hens: should be fine.
New rooster with other rooster: they are sure to ruffle their feathers and jump at each other a bit. How much more they will do, I do not know. Depends on the breed and the individual rooster and various other factors--it's easier to try it than to predict it

 

[FeatherLace]

New rooster with hens: should be fine.
New rooster with other rooster: they are sure to ruffle their feathers and jump at each other a bit. How much more they will do, I do not know. Depends on the breed and the individual rooster and various other factors--it's easier to try it than to predict it

I'm just worried because of the huge size difference between the two roosters. I circled them in this pic so you can tell. Will this be a problem?
Also getting rid of one isn't really an option. I love my bantam rooster, hes my favorite of the bunch. And the ayam cemani is needed to make expensive babies lol

 

[NatJ]

I don't see any problem with that size difference.

 

[FeatherLace]

So this is day 2 of having him. I opened his cage door and he immediatly went to jump out. I tried to catch him but he slipped past, and I watched as he ran as fast as he could to the other chickens....and immediatly layed down right in the middle of them! The other chickens moved over for him and they all fell asleep together. Absolutley no problems between them, and ive been watching them all day. Weird. The big new guy watches my tiny Bantam rooster crow and doesn't even challenge it, lol. And strangely enough, two of my ayam cemani hens won't leave his side.

 

[aart]

Sometimes it works out great!

 

[FeatherLace]

Sometimes it works out great!

I'm really glad it did! I'm really liking this rooster so far lol, his name is Honkers because all he does is honk. He hasn't crowed or made any other sound, he kinda just sounds like a goose! He's really friendly, and all of my other chickens like him too! It makes me happy when my chickens are happy

 

[CynthiaDown]

So this is day 2 of having him. I opened his cage door and he immediatly went to jump out. I tried to catch him but he slipped past, and I watched as he ran as fast as he could to the other chickens....and immediatly layed down right in the middle of them! The other chickens moved over for him and they all fell asleep together. Absolutley no problems between them, and ive been watching them all day. Weird. The big new guy watches my tiny Bantam rooster crow and doesn't even challenge it, lol. And strangely enough, two of my ayam cemani hens won't leave his side.

Excellent!