Adding the baby roosters...

[LABElle1225]

Yes, I need the roosters.... Without them the hens are super stressed and some won’t lay...
Ok so we’re free range - 4 1/2 acre perimeter only fenced. 19 ladies - 6 months to 2 years and (one) 6 month old rooster. (2) 1 year old girls in a time out pen for bad behavior. (8) one week olds in the house. My girls are Red Stars, Black Star, Brahma standard and bantam, Buff Orph, Cemani, EE, RIR, Silkie, Aus, Barred Rock, And Jersey. (My husband and child started project chickens, I recently took over)
I have (2) 12 week old Brahma boys in a small run by the house. They are in that lovely old/new/no feather phase. Gotta love straight run....
We had 3 roosters (EEx2 and bantam Sebright) and all was fine. Hawk grabbed the banty, EE1 decided he didn’t like people. EE2 epically fails at roostering. He’s silent, has a flock of 4, and is oblivious of any danger.
I’m thinking the brahmas would be a good fit. They are comfortable with people and seem fairly laid back.
My question is when and how do I work them into the flock? The others were “accidentally” brought in with others. Do I need to remove EE2? Which would stink. He’s a nice guy, one of my kids favorites, and pretty comical.
I would post a pic of the boys but they are at their ugliest...
I have no intention to breed “Noah’s Ark” of coops. Eventually we will be all Brahma and Cochin. I’m too old, tired, and slow to catch anything else.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

With 19 hens and that much land, I would definitely keep all 3. We have 5 acres but I would say mine only wander on probably an acre at most. They do like to break up into groups, and it's nice if each group has a rooster. Group size is usually around 5 -8 including the male, so it sounds like your EE boy is hitting the norm that I see in my flock.

There's no need for an assortment of coops unless you want to break them up for specific breeding. All of mine are housed together without issue. That includes 9 sexually mature males 4-6 months old (though 4 more go bye-bye tomorrow).

 

[Chickassan]

Just put them in your coop at night with the others and let everybody out in the morning. Everybody will probably chase them, young roos have it rough for a while. If the others have been seeing your boys you could probably just let them out but you'll have to put them to bed reguardless until they get where bed actually is. And they will still get chased. And at 12 weeks you could do it now if you wanted.

 

[alexa009]

12 weeks should be old enough for the hens not to do anything too serious to the cockerels. The hens will keep them running for awhile though then the cockerels will retaliate them once they mature.

 

[LABElle1225]

I’m too scared to toss them in!!! One has some exposed skin where the new feathers are coming in.. My hens are just soooo big! 4 +10 lbs.

 

[LABElle1225]

This is almost as stressful as leaving my son at school the first time

 

[LABElle1225]

My son is a healthy average 9 year old...

 

[SunHwaKwon]

If you have a cage like a dog kennel, you can put them in it where the girls can see and interact with them without causing any harm. Honestly, though, they will be fine, especially if you introduce them while they're free ranging and have plenty of room to separate.

 

[LABElle1225]

Snuck them in. They are in a kennel just in case..

 

[LABElle1225]

Boys are doing good Hens chasing them a little bit nothing violent. They are kind of keeping to themselves..