14 week old rooster in with big girls?

[TyRi]

I have a younger flock of 10 pullets and 3 cockerels in a run beside the big girls’ run. The young ones are around 14 weeks old and the older girls are a little over a year old. The boys are starting to come into their own occasionally trying to grab the young girls to mate. Would it be fine to introduce atleast 2 to the big girls and put them in with them? 1 cockerel is still a timid boy so he causes no trouble but the other 2 are getting a little antsy lol. They are about the same size as the older girls so I came to ask if they can be introduced to them and be in the big girls pen? Thanks!!

 

[nuthatched]

Cockerels should be put in with 'old ladies' as soon as possible so the ladies can teach the boys manners.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Cockerels should be put in with 'old ladies' as soon as possible so the ladies can teach the boys manners.

X10

 

[TyRi]

Let them out to free range together tonight just the big girls and 3 boys. 2 of the boys got set in line but the 3rd and biggest boy got into multiple tussles with hens and would not back down leaving him bloodied up so I put the boys back in their original run after about 10 minutes. Do I just keep bringing them out for short periods every time they free range till they can be around each other peacefully? Do i just let them duke it out till its figured out? Need some expert advice! Thanks!

 

[TyRi]

Guessing it will be a just have to let them duke it out to settle it? Seems like whenever the integration happens the fight will be moved to then if I dont do it now. Still love to hear what everyone has to say if its gradual or gloves off go time. Thanks!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Have the boys been side by side with the big girls for some time already, in a "see-no-tough" situation? Like for at least a week or two? With nothing between them but a fence, like chicken wire or something similar? If so, I would say put them together in the morning and let them spend the day together. Combs do bleed a lot but other than that just watch for serious injuries or one chicken getting held down and it getting its head reppeatedly pecked. If you see that, interfere, that's chicken murder and you'll have to rescue. Be sure there's plenty of "clutter" for chickens to hide behind or get under or on top of, but no blind alleys where one can get trapped. Pallets leaning against fences or walls, or two pallets screwed together into an A-frame ... old tables or chairs ... a pallet up on blocks. Anything like that is good.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Also, have seversl feeders and waterers located so a chicken at one can't see the others.

 

[TyRi]

Yes they have been in side by side runs with only wire separating them for about a month and they were getting rotated on and off free ranging with the big girls so they saw them out there plenty! Thats what shocked me was they were free ranging and were just going at it. He would get a old hen and get her pinned down with a mouth full of waddle or comb and then shortly after he was getting held down with a mouthful of waddle and comb and both relentlessly pecking at each other! I guess they are all pretty stubborn about letting him be a boss man and he is pretty set on being the boss!

 

[TyRi]

Update:
The boys wondered their way into the big girl pen on accident during free range. As bed time came around all hens backed down from the biggest boy except one (the one that left him bloodied last night) and he backed down. Everyone got in and up into their coop while the boys paced the fence line to their old run with a few of their girls pacing on the other side. I shut them in there for the night but quick question if anyone sees this in time… if i go back out there and they are still frantically pacing the line do i take them out and put them in their old run or just let them be? Figured it would be stressful but dont want to over stress them (if thats a thing)? Will try to be out there right away in the morning when the big girls come out to referee before work. Also think it will be okay if everyone is not fighting before i go to work to let them stay in there during the day? Will i come back to a problem? Or will it just have to be fought out? Thank you for any help!

 

[nuthatched]

Let them choose which run to be in, but let them mingle.

He would get a old hen and get her pinned down with a mouth full of waddle or comb

That's a bad roo, he should be culled