Adding new hens

[suburban]

I recently discovered that one of my two 16 week Austalorps is a rooster. Unfortunately we have to say good bye to him because we are not allowed to keep them where we live. So here are my stupid questions.

Do I need to seperate them now?
Will he try to fertilise her? and does it matter?
Hopefully the lady who sold them to us will take him back. Should we give them both back so they can stay together?

If we keep the girl and get some new ones ( I get chicken math and have to replace him with 2 more right?)does it matter if they are not the same breed?
When the new ones arrive do I need to keep them apart at first? for how long?

Thanks

 

[FireTigeris]

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[suburban]

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I don't know why. Just wondered...

 

[Pequena Bandada]

No need to separate them. At 16 weeks your cockerel might try to mount your pullet (they're not roosters and hens until they're a year old), but it's no big deal if he does. You'll simply have fertilized eggs when your pullet starts laying... and you can't tell the difference when eating them. If you give the boy back, you can still keep the girl and introduce a new pullet or two. Many people say to quarantine new chickens for 30 days to make sure they're not sick... but it's not always possible. So quarantine for as long as you can. And expect that the introductions might not go perfectly because your current chicken and the new ones will need to establish a pecking order.

 

[FireTigeris]

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I don't know why. Just wondered...

Just asking to see if someone told you something weird or untrue. Like he'll crow faster if with a female (untrue) or he'll hurt her (usually untrue) or something.

 

[BarredBuff]

I'd get rid of the roo and keep the hen.

 

[suburban]

Thanks everyone!

 

[suburban]

Quote:

I don't know why. Just wondered...

Just asking to see if someone told you something weird or untrue. Like he'll crow faster if with a female (untrue) or he'll hurt her (usually untrue) or something.

I did think he might hurt her. All my chook info is from the movie "chicken run" and that rooster had his own coop.
Fortunately I found this forum, so I get my info here now. Any other weird ideas are purely my own imagination

 

[Mrs. K]

I am going to be an enabler, hehe.... I think that I would get 2 new pullets as quickly as possible, and introduce them to the pair that you have now. That way you have 2 old, and 2 new, not 2 against 1. Then after a week or so, when the pecking order is somewhat established, and they have gotten used to each other, I would take out the roo. You can keep the roo in there until you decide what to do with him.

It has been mentioned on here before, and I think is a very good point. It is best to have at least 3, that way if something happens to one, there is still a pair, and chickens like and IMO need other chickens. Three hens should give you plenty of eggs most of the year, unless you have a very large family.

MrsK

 

[suburban]

Thankyou Mrs.K I like that idea. They might be a bit cramped at first with 4 as we only have a small coop.

And I'm having trouble finding a home for him. The woman who sold him to us has not responded to email or answered her phone. I've advertised him free to a good home on a couple of aussie chook forums (not as friendly as this one for some reason) I really don't think I could kill him, he really is a pet.

SO who would take him? I could take him to the vet to be put to sleep gentlyor call the RSPCA... sigh.