Adding a rooster to a pullet flock

[Sally PB]

Is there a way to add a year old rooster to a flock of pullets?

Back story...

I have three hens, and one rooster, all 14 months old. My neighbor just got 16 chicks, 6 weeks ago. She thinks (but isn't sure) that all her pullets are indeed pullets. They do want a rooster at some point, and I sort of jokingly said, "You want mine?" and she sort of seriously said yes. She wants a roo to perpetuate her flock.

My roo is not friendly. He will challenge me at times, and I take a stick into the run when I go. My neighbor knows this. She also has three little boys.

If she seriously wants my roo, I'd love to give him away. How old would her flock need to be to even think about putting a rooster in with it?

@aart, @azygous @DobieLover Anyone done an integration like this successfully?

 

[aart]

My roo is not friendly. He will challenge me at times, and I take a stick into the run when I go. My neighbor knows this. She also has three little boys.

Doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

How old would her flock need to be to even think about putting a rooster in with it?

Is she sure she doesn't have a male in the group of chicks?
Why does she want one?

 

[Aapomp831]

I agree with aart - giving someone an aggressive rooster is like giving someone an aggressive dog. Personally, I would cull and have your friend go on Craigslist where everyone and their mother is desperately trying to give away roosters. Then all you have to do is follow the same rules of integration that you would follow with any chickens, male or female.... quarantine, then see but can’t touch, then pick official Integration Day and stick around to observe for the first day or so.

 

[DobieLover]

Is there a way to add a year old rooster to a flock of pullets?

Back story...

I have three hens, and one rooster, all 14 months old. My neighbor just got 16 chicks, 6 weeks ago. She thinks (but isn't sure) that all her pullets are indeed pullets. They do want a rooster at some point, and I sort of jokingly said, "You want mine?" and she sort of seriously said yes. She wants a roo to perpetuate her flock.

My roo is not friendly. He will challenge me at times, and I take a stick into the run when I go. My neighbor knows this. She also has three little boys.

If she seriously wants my roo, I'd love to give him away. How old would her flock need to be to even think about putting a rooster in with it?

@aart, @azygous @DobieLover Anyone done an integration like this successfully?

I wouldn't do it.
I once talked a couple out of taking one of my NICE boys because I knew he would change the flock dynamics, as the presence of a male always does. She had two young boys who loved to pick up and pet the pullets. That could have been perceived as a threat to the cockerel and may have incited protective instincts to kick in.
The pullets also followed the boys around and when a cockerel/rooster is introduced into a flock, the pullets generally go to him for protection and guidance.
It would have been easy to just dump my cockerel off on her but I knew it wouldn't be the best for that family. He did find a great home and I encouraged the couple to wait at least a year before considering getting a rooster and then gave them some advice on how to choose a good one.
If you cannot rehab your boy, you should find someone that will put him in freezer camp or do it yourself and then go find a good one if you still want a rooster for your flock.

 

[Sally PB]

Thanks, everyone.

I thought this was probably a bad idea. (So why did you ask...?!? Hope springs eternal? Maybe force of numbers would change the balance? Magic bullet knowledge that I hadn't seen yet?)

DH is very against culling the roo. I'm not afraid of him, but I wish I could have my friendly girl on my lap without him getting bent out of shape about it. She is his favorite too.

 

[azygous]

Do. Not. Do. This.

Your neighbor does not need a rooster for her new little flock. It's only the "idea" of a rooster she wants. If she adds chicks to her flock every so often, she will get one sooner or later. Every single rooster I've had have been accidental roos, pullets mis-sexed at hatchery, including a current seven-week old cockerel that I'm about to send back into the food chain.

 

[Sally PB]

Thanks, @azygous. I really appreciate everyone's words of wisdom.

I won't be giving her my roo. Period.

 

[aart]

So why did you ask...?!?

Because it's almost always good to get other's perspective....
....especially when you might need 'backup'.

 

[Aapomp831]

Thanks, everyone.

I thought this was probably a bad idea. (So why did you ask...?!? Hope springs eternal? Maybe force of numbers would change the balance? Magic bullet knowledge that I hadn't seen yet?)

DH is very against culling the roo. I'm not afraid of him, but I wish I could have my friendly girl on my lap without him getting bent out of shape about it. She is his favorite too.

Lol, I hear you! I asked the age old gender question at 4 weeks knowing full well what the responses would be! Hope is what keeps us going, I guess. Good luck to you.... I will be facing the same conundrum (kinda) when it comes time to unloading these 5 cockerels I’ve hatched.

 

[VirginiaFarmerGirl]

First I would not give your rooster away if he is aggressive like that unless you were giving him to someone that has been dealing with chickens for years. And has dealt with aggressive roosters. But I would never give a aggressive rooster to a family with small kids maybe if all their kids were 11+

but when I got a roo for my hens (my other one died) they were laying. But the roo was older than them. Honestly I just threw him in with them. He was bigger than the rest of them so he quickly dominated everyone but my lead hen keep attacking him for three days. He would always put her in her place but never actually hurt her he never got aggressive with her or the other hens and he is still super sweet today and loves belly rubs I added a much smaller roo to my flock too, I had a silkie roo and keep him in a large cage with the other chickens in the run. Because if my other chickens attacked him I knew he would not stand a chance. He stayed in the cage for about a week. And when he came out everyone was used to him and nothing happened.