1st Time for 5yr hens with a Rooster

[Aschuchert]

We're looking for advice on protecting our flock, any on moving a flock across town, and anything you see that may cause problems with our move.

We are moving to a little semi- rural farm from urban setting and have a flock of 5-5yr old hens & 6-18mo hens, they share a run wall but never fully integrated except when free ranging I a small yard each evening.
They will need a roo for protection and to encourage the 18mo old flock to hatch their own.
We plan to fully mix the flocks when we move. Have a secure coop for nights on site, but want to give them real free ranging during the day unsupervised.
We've read the roo must be older or the "old girls" would rip him apart....
We have an 8week schedule and want to be prepared. Thank you all for your advice!

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

We're looking for advice on protecting our flock, any on moving a flock across town, and anything you see that may cause problems with our move.

We are moving to a little semi- rural farm from urban setting and have a flock of 5-5yr old hens & 6-18mo hens, they share a run wall but never fully integrated except when free ranging I a small yard each evening.
They will need a roo for protection and to encourage the 18mo old flock to hatch their own.
We plan to fully mix the flocks when we move. Have a secure coop for nights on site, but want to give them real free ranging during the day unsupervised.
We've read the roo must be older or the "old girls" would rip him apart....
We have an 8week schedule and want to be prepared. Thank you all for your advice!

A rooster will not protect the flock. They only give warning then run to save their own hides.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

A rooster won't necessarily protect your flock nor encourage broodiness in hens. He will fertilize eggs.

Since every rooster is different it's hard to say how your hens will get on with any particular rooster until you try one.

 

[TheBeardie]

I personally see no use in having a rooster other than for fertile eggs. Most roos just breed the hens and run away from real threats. My girls do a great job of watching for predators and run when they see one.

If you don't have a broody hen or plan on incubating yourself then a roo wouldn't be much help. Getting a rooster will not cause a hen to go broody. I won't hatch myself for a while, I can't handle all the extra males you get. Remember that when hatching, about half will be male. That will put you in a place where your flock can be over run with extra cockerels. Aka, a horrible experience for the hens and pullets.

If you do decide to get a rooster, it doesn't particularly matter what age he is. A more muture roo would be less hormonal and shouldn't breed the hens too much. I can't imagine a hen would know if the roo is older than her after his first year or two of life. Any new member of the flock could be picked on, not just young males. It depends on your current flocks tolerance for newcomers.

 

[aart]

Agrees about the roo advice....but if you really want one I would wait until you are all settled in at the new place.

Have a secure coop for nights on site

Is this new coop big enough for 11 birds...and is it split to keep the two groups apart??

Problem is you haven't integrated the flock yet
(they are not sleeping in the same coop, correct?),
maybe do that before moving.

Because at the new place it's best to keep birds confined to coop for a week or so before allowing them to free range so they know where their new 'home' is.

 

[Aschuchert]

Good questions, the new coop is plenty big for the whole clan. The existing ones each are too small to merge sleeping areas.
We can start integrating them during the day by leaving the connecting door open. Already considered that as a step.

We are more concerned having the old girls reject a roo, in a bloody way. They are 5yrs old and the dominant hen is pretty aggressive and huge even for an Australorp.
Any ideas on that aspect?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You will need to find a young confident and hormonal rooster. One that can run, and is smart enough to dominate those hens. One from last year is what I would look for. Usually they are hitting their first spring as an adult and can be quite bold. Pick a breed like an Easter egger, or barred rock. Avoid meek breeds, and human aggressive ones if possible.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think you are worrying about nothing. Chickens hate change, and the bigger the change the more discombobulated they are and the less sure of themselves. So go big, put the two flocks together, add a rooster and put them in a new coop all at once. Do not do this drawn out in little steps.

The new coop will be strange to all of them, old birds will defend their territory, but this will not be their territory.

Adding any rooster over 6 months old, and you will be fine. Contact a local poultry club, or the extension office, or put up a notice in a feed store. What you want is a rooster that was raised in a flock, and that was so nice, no one got busy enough to cull them.

Not all roosters are the same, some of them are very good at preventing day time predation. A lot depends on your predators, your coverage, and your bird's experience. When you approach the pen, the rooster should be the first bird to see you. He should be alert, and have good confirmation, especially in his feet. He does not need to be a pet, and he should be aware of you, but keep his distance from you of about 5 feet.

If you have very young children that will need to share the play space with chickens I recommend no rooster. Roosters can attack, and it can be violent especially to small children.

As for broody hens, you may get lucky. Have any of your old girls gone broody? If not, adding a rooster, won't help. However, there are breeds that often go broody. Sometimes they hatch, and sometimes they don't. Currently I am praying for a broody hen, myself.

I am not a big believer in locking birds in the coop. However, it may depend on your set up. I have always had a run attached to my coop, and I would leave them in that set up for a good week, before letting them out of the run, but allowing them to choose to go out or stay in the coop.

Do set up hide outs in your new run. A pallet up on blocks, a roost in the run, a pallet up against a wall, multiple feed stations out of sight of each other, so as a bird feeding at one place cannot see birds at another feeder. This will let birds get away from each other, and that will let them settle down more quickly with strange birds.

I would wait until they go to roost, collect them in a box, and put them in the new coop, leaving a door open to the run. I don't think you will have much trouble. If you do have one bird that won't settle down, just pull that bird out for a day or too.

Mrs K

 

[Aschuchert]

All, thank you do much... I do have a worrying streak. We took in a lone hen s fes years back and the old girls "OGs" took her apart. Thanks for the tips and tricks!

Started integrating flocks this morning, if that goes well we'll not just until moving, if not then hope they bond with the move. We are well versed in creating safe bolt holes, and have multiple feed & water stations.

Will do on moving them at night. Getting the Roo and keeping him in an isolation coop for a couple weeks shortly after we move, aim for 12 to 18mos old, was already thinking of an EE - has to be heat tolerant breed for Phoenix summers . No kids to worry about.

Neighbor has LOTS of cats and hawks and owls are main predators. 6ft chain link around the property and run area has 2 trees and we have chicken wire to spare so we can make it a big more secure. Just sang them to get full chicken experience.
Now we lock ours up in this house, too urban, lots of Tom cats, and codes don't allow a Roo for protection.

The New girls are mix of F. Marans, EE, & RIR... always going broody.... soooooo broody... wanted to have eggers so considering sneaking EE or other breeds from friends under them after we get settled and they start going broody again.... they aren't the egg machines we hoped for but would welcome them as great mothers for the next hatch.

Thanks again everyone for the help planning out the move, I'm feeling like I have the steps in hand, and options for when we have to change tactics.

 

[cadeschicks]

We added a roo this year to a flock with 2 five-year-olds and a 7yo who had never had a roo before.

The roo was broody hatched from a purchased egg and grew up in the flock. That may have helped. The 7yo still rules the roost, but the older girls do tolerate him. He's about 9 months old now and all the girls have acquiesced and let him do his business.