As you may have noticed you can get varying opinions on how much protection a rooster actually provides. I'm in the camp of not much but you need to form your own opinions based on your own experiences. I consider that a good thing.
How do you feel about quarantine? If you get your rooster from a chicken auction or swap, or some place he has recently been exposed to new chickens I consider it a real good idea. If he comes from a flock that has not been exposed to new chickens for a few months the value drops. Still, I think it is a big question.
In my opinion the introduction of a mature rooster to a flock of mature hens is potentially the easiest of integrations. You are dealing with living animals so you don't get guarantees on behaviors but what often happens is that he trots into their area strutting his stuff, wows them with his magnificence, mates a couple, and the flock is his. Really peaceful. It's possible one or some, usually it will be the dominant hen, will resist him. That could lead to violence, usually more her running and him chasing than anything else but there can be real aggression and violence. Some of that depends on his personality and maturity, some of that depends on her personality. It's not all on the rooster, the females have their own part to play.
Notice I said "mature rooster". I've had a cockerel 5 months old be able to manage that, but maybe the dominant hen may not have been that strong-spirited. I've had a cockerel not manage that until he was 11 months old. That dominant hen was the last holdout and that did get a bit violent. After a couple of days they became best of buddies.
If I found a 7 month old cockerel I liked I'd try. It may go really smoothly, there may be some issues. I would not go younger, the odds start to stack against you. Not that any of them are likely to be killed or seriously injured, just that it can be upsetting to you to watch. If you want him for protection the hens have to tolerate him being around. Nothing wrong with going older, to a point I'd consider it better.
Good luck and congratulations on the move! It should be interesting.
How do you feel about quarantine? If you get your rooster from a chicken auction or swap, or some place he has recently been exposed to new chickens I consider it a real good idea. If he comes from a flock that has not been exposed to new chickens for a few months the value drops. Still, I think it is a big question.
In my opinion the introduction of a mature rooster to a flock of mature hens is potentially the easiest of integrations. You are dealing with living animals so you don't get guarantees on behaviors but what often happens is that he trots into their area strutting his stuff, wows them with his magnificence, mates a couple, and the flock is his. Really peaceful. It's possible one or some, usually it will be the dominant hen, will resist him. That could lead to violence, usually more her running and him chasing than anything else but there can be real aggression and violence. Some of that depends on his personality and maturity, some of that depends on her personality. It's not all on the rooster, the females have their own part to play.
Notice I said "mature rooster". I've had a cockerel 5 months old be able to manage that, but maybe the dominant hen may not have been that strong-spirited. I've had a cockerel not manage that until he was 11 months old. That dominant hen was the last holdout and that did get a bit violent. After a couple of days they became best of buddies.
If I found a 7 month old cockerel I liked I'd try. It may go really smoothly, there may be some issues. I would not go younger, the odds start to stack against you. Not that any of them are likely to be killed or seriously injured, just that it can be upsetting to you to watch. If you want him for protection the hens have to tolerate him being around. Nothing wrong with going older, to a point I'd consider it better.
Good luck and congratulations on the move! It should be interesting.
