8 week old chick going solo to big flock

[Cluckatar]

I could use some advice on moving an 8 week old rooster into a new flock. I had a hatch of 3 Svart Honas (2 roos and 1 hen) and 1 Black Copper Marans roo. The Svart Honas are meant to integrate with my Cream Legbar roo's flock. I will deal with whether to keep both or neither of those roos as they get older and show their personalities.

But today my main flock BCM roo suddenly died. We were not expecting it at all, as he was only a year old. I don't like leaving that group of 19 hens without a roo this spring. The little guy is his son, and could be a decent replacement in time possibly. I have a separate small coop I can put him in, inside the larger hen yard, but I'm reluctant to send him alone. That said, he is definitely not in charge in his group of four chicks and seems to be picked on. Those Svart Honas have spicy personalities.

I could wait longer and leave things as is. But I think he will be taken as more part of the flock the sooner I get him close to his new family. I've considered putting a gentle hen in the isolation coop with him, but he's awfully old for a hen to adopt him and I worry she might beat him up instead.

 

[azygous]

He will do just fine if you provide a safe haven for him to retreat to when he feels he's getting more than he bargained for. The haven needs to be only large enough for his food and water and situated in the middle of the run. If you make openings large enough for him but too small for the hens, that's all he needs. That way he can integrate at his own speed.

At night, he can roost with these hens. You will need to place him in the coop after the hens are roosting. You can put him at one far end and even erect a partition on the roost if it looks like he's getting bullied too much. Staple a feed sack over the roost. In the mornings, he will learn quickly that he has a safe haven in the run, and he will use it.

 

[Yardmom]

I would try a pen inside the hens pen. A young male will hopefully go better than a lone hen. When you do release him after a couple weeks, make sure there are plenty of hiding places for him.