6 week old roo in with hens?

[l'abeille]

I have 2 Australorp hens and am enertaining the thought of keeping a little roo we got with a batch of pullets. The pullets are all going home with families at 6 weeks and I need to free the brooder for a new batch of chicks. I have not found a new home for the roo yet. We have been considering trying to keep him. Would we be crazy to try to integrate him with our 2 hens at 6 weeks old? It would be very difficult to try to section off part of the coop/run so they'd have to share quarters.

 

[MagsC]

Well, I think it COULD be done, maybe see how they react to him first?
I am sure there are plenty of BYCers here that can help with the integrating question, also you could do a search on the site about the subject.

 

[l'abeille]

Thanks. I did try to search but didn't find much. maybe i'm not searching right. Anyway, we have let the hens free range near the chicks' portable run and they didn't seem too mean, just lightly pecking the beak of a chick trying to eat the same leaf of my broccoli plant.

Has anyone tried this?

 

[lovinlife]

When I integrate chicks in with an established flock, I always house them in an adjacent pen for a few weeks before letting them blend together. I don't have any trouble when I do it this way.

 

[l'abeille]

i don't have anyplace to keep him in an adjacent pen. I have seen that folks don't recommend putting chicks with hens until they are larger, but I was wondering if there would be a better chance of success since Australorps are more docile and he's a cockeral. Has anyone tried this who could comment on the outcome?

 

[lovinlife]

I've also used a large wire dog crate and put it inside the run.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'd be very cautious. Unless a rooster is mature enough to dominate the hens, mature hens are often a lot meaner to a young rooster than to other young pullets. Maybe they sense a future threat to their dominance? They are living animals with individual personalities so you can never be sure how they would react, but I'd be nervous. It might work. I'd certainly supervise if I tried it.

Good luck!!!

 

[l'abeille]

Okay, thanks for the ideas and warnings. I have made a small wire cage for him within the run and am going to remove him to a little cage in the garage to roost at night after the new chicks come. Later I can try giving him a doorway into the main run that is too big for the girls so he has a refuge with his own food/water.

 

[l'abeille]

well, it is going okay with him next to the hens. But he's so lonely especially when he has to sleep alone at night. he just chirps and chirps.

so sad!