Adding a young Rooster to established flock

[Bigbluefrog]

My neighbor has several buff orpington roosters. He is offering me a 7 month old rooster. I have 11 hens (ages 1 year to 8 months) All of them are laying.
2 Barred Rocks, 2 New Hampshire Reds, and 7 Rhode Island Reds.

How do you introduce a rooster?
Quarantine for 30 days?
Have them separate for awhile but visible?
Do I need to make sure the rooster is gentle with me first?
and what to feed them? Layer feed okay?
Rooster is arriving soon if I decide to do this. I am interested but not too familiar with roosters and reading everything I can.
The person raising the roosters has a dog but the birds are mostly penned or fenced free range.
I also have a dog and grandkids ages 2 -9
Thanks for any advice.
I will be checking the rooster out tomorrow.

 

[Bigbluefrog]

My neighbor suggests putting the rooster on the perch at night.
That is it!
seems a bit too easy-

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I don't do the seperate introduction. I just stick birds in at night (or day time depending on the current situation) and let it play out. Rarely is there a giant problem other than a few squabbles.

Do quarantine though. Any idea why they're giving him up?

 

[Bigbluefrog]

I don't do the seperate introduction. I just stick birds in at night (or day time depending on the current situation) and let it play out. Rarely is there a giant problem other than a few squabbles.

Do quarantine though. Any idea why they're giving him up?

Yes, he has 4 roosters and only wants 2.
So I guess that means I am getting the lesser desired one .
This one is younger and he said the rooster are fighting each other now.

 

[MarkJr]

I toss the cockerel in and it’s trial by fire.

Never had issue

 

[Bigbluefrog]

I toss the cockerel in and it’s trial by fire.

Never had issue

Does the rooster eat later feed as well? Or do they need different food?

 

[Tonyroo]

Definitely quarantine first. Check on the rooster everyday. The outcome of the people suggesting you to put them in the flock right off, might lead to a lot of unnecessary injuries. But you'll have to make your own judgement call on introductions.

Most chicken people understand there own flock in terms of behavior and personality to guide them as to how to introduce new birds. There are other post regarding methods of how to introduce. If you have a moment look some up.

 

[Tonyroo]

Does the rooster eat later feed as well? Or do they need different food?

Roosters should eat high protein feed, like All Flock. It will keep his health in check. 20% protein feed.

 

[MarkJr]

Does the rooster eat later feed as well? Or do they need different food?

I had a rooster eat layer feed and died at about 2 years old. Didn’t necropsy him, or care to. My entire flock has been switched to all flock feed and oyster on the side (multi generation flock + broody on chicks all the time it seems). My flock is much healthier when they can supplement themselves. My broody molted this year and didn’t seem to be as grouchy or patchy as last year.

I’ll never go back to layer

 

[Bigbluefrog]

All flock and calcium on the side.
okay, I will quarantine and probably fence him off a bit so he can meet and greet us and the dogs first