A new rooster

loundrew

In the Brooder
9 Years
Nov 30, 2010
10
1
22
Elgin, TX
We have a small flock, 7 hens and 1 roo, at home now. My wife has seen a stray roo at Starbucks the last couple days and I believe it is destined for our house soon. What is the best way to introduce the new guy to the flock?

Any insight is appreciated.
 
You should quarantine him away from your flock to be certain he isn't carrying anything sinister (mites, lice, disease) for a number of weeks. After that you should have him in an area separated by wire fencing so the newby can see your flock and they can see him without fighting. See how it goes from there. I hope someone better qualified will be along to add more specific advice. I do know it is harder intoducing a new roo than a pullet or hen. It's not likely your roo is going to be happy about an interloper.
 
What you are telling me matches what I have found elsewhere, as well as what I think would happen. My current Roo is quite protective of his girls (just ask my Mom who decided to pop in on him one time) and I am not sure he would be all that welcoming to anything he percieves as a threat.

I would like any additional opinions on this though.
 
i agree with what was said earlier. Keep him far away from your other birds for a while (about 2-4 weeks) and then keep him in a pen or crate where the other birds can see him but not peck or fight. I did this with one of my roos.. Supposedly you only have to leave him in the separate pen for a few weeks but i kept mine away from the others for about 2 months.Maybe put a hen in there with him during this time.
 
I would recommend not getting him. He's most likely not healthy and could pass it along to your flock. Plus, even if he were completely healthy, gorgeous, and docile, I wouldn't recommend two roosters with seven hens. That's way too many roosters. I stick with my rule of a roo/hen ratio of 1:10-20. Two roosters with seven hens will be very stressful and chaotic. The hens will be "over roostered" (missing a lot of feathers off of their backs), and because of stress will not lay as well and could get sick just from the extra stress.

If you want to have two roosters, you really need at LEAST 15 hens, preferably 20-30.

Just my two cents worth.
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He should stay away from your current flock for a month. After a month he should be able to see your flock but not be with them. I give it a week and then put the new one in. There will be a little more pecking involved then if you where adding a hen because it's two roosters, but it will work itself out. I do think you should get some more hens, if you dont want to you could get the rooster and find him a home?
 
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