Adding a third rooster

[GldnValleyHens]

I'm getting a new rooster, sight unseen but described by a friend. He's a ' black and white bantam without feathered feet' which makes me think he's a birchen Old English. I have a Porcelain D'Uccle roo and a White Silkie roo, they get along pretty well since they were raised together, though they had a bloody fight once. I know OEG's can be aggressive, so how do I integrate them successfully AKA the right way? I'm pretty impatient and usually throw them all together after a day or so. I know, not what they say to do. I am hoping they all get along. Some may say I don't really need another rooster, but I want fertile eggs and more protective eyes in the skies. My other bantam roosters are very protective of their girls, and cry out when something flies through the air, even the guinea. I currently have 11 hens, and 3 sexed female chicks, so I felt another rooster, especially a bantam would be OK

 

[RodNTN]

It will probably take more than just a day or two before you can house them together, especially if they are mature roosters. And you're right, Old English games can be aggressive.
It is a general rule to have at least 10 to 12 hens per rooster. If you want three boys, you might need to add a few more girls, roosters that are overcrowded can get very violent.

If you don't want more girls, than you can let each rooster have some time with the girls. For instance, you can put a few girls with one rooster (make sure they're confined). And do the same for the other roos.
You don't want a rooster overmating a hen (NO fun).

Just because your D'uccle and your Silkie get along doesn't mean that they'll be friendly towards the new rooster (or vice versa).

 

[chickens really]

Why do you need a third Rooster?..

 

[GldnValleyHens]

Why do you need a third Rooster?..

I don't. I'm just guilty of loving roosters. I'm trying to fill the gap my beautiful rooster left when he died a couple weeks ago. And if I don't take him, someone else was going to take him and eat him. I couldn't help it!

 

[GldnValleyHens]

10 hens per rooster? I had thought it was more like 8 or something. Guess I was wrong.

 

[chickens really]

I don't. I'm just guilty of loving roosters. I'm trying to fill the gap my beautiful rooster left when he died a couple weeks ago. And if I don't take him, someone else was going to take him and eat him. I couldn't help it!

This will change the dynamics of the Flock and it possibly could go horribly wrong. Just saying..

 

[GldnValleyHens]

I hope not. I free-range, so that should help keep everybody distant and happy

 

[chickens really]

10 hens per rooster? I had thought it was more like 8 or something. Guess I was wrong.

That's not true either..Many breeders keep separate pens with one Rooster two two or three Hens..The key word is separate..

 

[GldnValleyHens]

That's not true either..Mant breeders keep separate pens with one Rooster two two or three Hens..The key word is separate..

I know roosters like to form their own little groups. Th D'Uccle has a Sex link, a Wyandotte and his fav, a Mille fleur D'Uccle. The Silkie has a Speckled Sussex. They leave the other girls alone, because they get their butt kicked when they try to court them. I hope that the new rooster will form his own harem, maybe I will put some hens in with him

 

[microchick]

I have about 30 roosters. Most are BBR and BBR Cochin crosses. People always ask me why I have so many roosters and I tell them 1) I have Mareks disease in my flock and 2) I really do love the roosters.

Things I have learned from dealing with a lot of OEGB roosters. They aren't bad together in the winter when the testosterone is low, but right now, they are just plain evil to one another.

I have a bachelor pen with about 15 cockerels in it. I've tried to add extra cockerels to that pen and they beat him up no matter what the size is. I would be happy with about 4 more pens.

I finally resorted to putting extra bantam cockerels in with my large fowl. They beat up the Alpha rooster who is a big strapping Buff O Welsummer cross and today I had to separate the overthrown Alpha and two other Large Fowl roosters from the group and pin them in the far end of the run in order to prevent the chaos from continuing.I also had to pull a rooster from the bantam pen because the other bantam roosters wouldn't let him down of the roost.

Don't whatever you do trust him to be warm and fuzzy with your other two roosters. Especially the Silky. He will try to kill them and no amount of easing him into the group will change that. I have seen 5 or 6 OEGB roosters swarm a large Welsummer rooster when they were just 5 months old and almost kill him. In fact, he spent a month living on our back porch in a pen while we worked to save his damaged eye.

They are called game birds for a reason and while they are the small birds in a fight there is a lot of fight in the birds. His goal will be to dominate the other roosters however he has to to keep them away from what he perceives are HIS hens.

I agree that to have a second pen on stand by is a great idea. Trust me, you are going to need it.

BUT! These roosters when socialized with humans are wonderful. I've received a few pecks from them but nothing serious. I can pick one up and hold it in one hand while they are laying on their sides. They will just lay there. When I have to doctor one they do not put up a fuss. They seem to know that I am in charge ultimately and which side of the bread is buttered where I am concerned. They can be funny, sweet and gentle boys but like I said, right now they are just plain evil little spawns of satan with other roosters.

One thing for certain, Life won't be boring with one around.