Adding cockerels to hens

[Jjdesmo11]

These frizzle D’Uccle boys are 8 weeks next week. I plan to add them to my bantam flock of hens (all laying) I’m nervous and tend to wait till they are bigger so they aren’t bullied. I also want to bond with them more. But my last bantam cockerel started to attack at 9 months or so and i rehomed. Would adding to flock younger keep attitudes at bay? I read a post on byc that suggested the sooner I add them the better. Opinions on keeping these boys attitudes at bay? Thx

 

[azygous]

These cockerels will be in danger of acquiring "attitude" around age five to six months regardless of when they join the flock of hens. Their attitude has more to do with how you handle them going forward. And also your attitude will determine to a significant degree what their attitude toward you will be.

You can gradually integrate them now by letting them spend days in a safe pen in view of the girls. Then, over the course of a few weeks, let them spend increasing time mingling with the flock until you see they are accepted and everyone is interacting peacefully.

As for how to handle the cockerels in order to avoid them becoming human aggressive, the first rule is to keeps hands off as much as possible, only handling often enough so these two are used to being handled from time to time. Other than that, ignore them as much as possible going forward.

Here is my article on raising cockerels that might be of some help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/i-think-i-have-a-cockerel-now-what-do-i-do.76274/

 

[Jjdesmo11]

These cockerels will be in danger of acquiring "attitude" around age five to six months regardless of when they join the flock of hens. Their attitude has more to do with how you handle them going forward. And also your attitude will determine to a significant degree what their attitude toward you will be.

You can gradually integrate them now by letting them spend days in a safe pen in view of the girls. Then, over the course of a few weeks, let them spend increasing time mingling with the flock until you see they are accepted and everyone is interacting peacefully.

As for how to handle the cockerels in order to avoid them becoming human aggressive, the first rule is to keeps hands off as much as possible, only handling often enough so these two are used to being handled from time to time. Other than that, ignore them as much as possible going forward.

Here is my article on raising cockerels that might be of some help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/i-think-i-have-a-cockerel-now-what-do-i-do.76274/

Thanks so much I really appreciate it! I just lure them with treats currently. I have a salmon Faverolle large fowl roo and he’s never been aggressive. So bantams are my new challenge. I want to find and keep a good boy eventually

 

[Ridgerunner]

But my last bantam cockerel started to attack at 9 months or so and i rehomed. Would adding to flock younger keep attitudes at bay?

I agree with Azygous. No, not if you are talking about them attacking you.

I read a post on byc that suggested the sooner I add them the better.

I think that is generally talking about adding any chicks, not specifically boy chicks. If you have sufficient room and patience I think it is a little easier to integrate younger chicks than older chickens. You can integrate them at any age so don't put too much into that though. A little easier doesn't mean adding them later is that hard if you have the room and patience.

At 8 weeks your older hens should just see them as chicks, not necessarily boy chicks. So it is just typical integration. At some point those boys will hit puberty, that's when things can change. They can change in many different ways. In some flocks the hens seem to love beating up on adolescent boys. I hardly ever see that but I have a lot of room and, like you, I have a dominant rooster with the flock. Usually when that happens there is no rooster and the dominant hen is the one chasing them. People make this sound a lot worse than it usually is if you have enough room. In tight spaces it can be dangerous.

Sometimes (well, maybe often) those adolescent cockerels harass the hens, try to mate them. Occasionally a hen will let them but usually they run away. On rare occasions the hens may fight back but in my flock they usually run to the dominant rooster who handles the boys. When I don't have a dominant rooster the dominant hen will usually knock the boys off or chase them away. It can get really exciting down there when those cockerels hit puberty. It usually looks more violent than it really is but occasionally one does get hurt.

 

[Jjdesmo11]

I agree with Azygous. No, not if you are talking about them attacking you.


I think that is generally talking about adding any chicks, not specifically boy chicks. If you have sufficient room and patience I think it is a little easier to integrate younger chicks than older chickens. You can integrate them at any age so don't put too much into that though. A little easier doesn't mean adding them later is that hard if you have the room and patience.

At 8 weeks your older hens should just see them as chicks, not necessarily boy chicks. So it is just typical integration. At some point those boys will hit puberty, that's when things can change. They can change in many different ways. In some flocks the hens seem to love beating up on adolescent boys. I hardly ever see that but I have a lot of room and, like you, I have a dominant rooster with the flock. Usually when that happens there is no rooster and the dominant hen is the one chasing them. People make this sound a lot worse than it usually is if you have enough room. In tight spaces it can be dangerous.

Sometimes (well, maybe often) those adolescent cockerels harass the hens, try to mate them. Occasionally a hen will let them but usually they run away. On rare occasions the hens may fight back but in my flock they usually run to the dominant rooster who handles the boys. When I don't have a dominant rooster the dominant hen will usually knock the boys off or chase them away. It can get really exciting down there when those cockerels hit puberty. It usually looks more violent than it really is but occasionally one does get hurt.

Thank you! So I actually don’t have a rooster in there now. I have medium over ez coop 4x4 and an 8x8 run with excess under coop. Currently I have 5 bantam hens in there now so I feel like it’s plenty room. But I’ve had issues with coccidiosis once I put my chicks on soil. Lost a few D’Uccles as old at 5 months 2 yrs back so I have kept my bantams off soil till 3-4 months what age do the boys reach maturity typically? ( I’m sure it varies)

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you! So I actually don’t have a rooster in there now. I have medium over ez coop 4x4

I know that bantams need a little less space, but 4x4 is only enough for 4 full-size hens and integration takes extra space. Be cautious.

 

[Jjdesmo11]

I know that bantams need a little less space, but 4x4 is only enough for 4 full-size hens and integration takes extra space. Be cautious.

Yes I agree. Bantams required half that so 8 would be my max. Love my little biddies