Adding young roosters to older flock

[Ginny]

I have 20 hens, ages 4 years to one year. I lost my dominant rooster and am left with a big fat 4 yr. old blue wyandotte. All he does is display outside the pen with my two 9 month old roos. It is getting close to time to hatch chicks, and he is not doing his job. If I put the two young roos in with the hens will they go crazy with all that "attention"? They haven't been bothered by a roo in several months.

 

[Judy]

Are you sure he's not? Have you seen how to tell whether an egg is fertile? Maybe he is mating when you aren't looking, in order not to challenge you as the lead roo.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008

If you don't see the bullseyes, I'd go ahead and put at least one of the young roos with the hens. Actually I'd probably try it with both of them and just watch what happens for a while. I don't think you will really know til you try. I don't think my hens generally see mating as being bothered, though a couple might.

 

[Ginny]

Could be he is, but I don't think so. My husband isn't able to get around much so sits on the porch and pretty well knows what is going on. He says he does the "little dance", the hen walks off and he doesn't pursue her. I will check the fertile egg tho, I just watched a video on how to do it. Thanks.

 

[Ginny]

An update in case anyone has a similar question. I let the two younger roos out yesterday. Old Blue immediately showed himself the dominate roo. However he doesn't mind if the other roos mate with the hens, what he seems most interested in is keeping everyone away from his scratch in the evening. The dominate roo of the two from the pen is now the second in command and basically runs everything except the food. Seems to be working well so far. The hens are doing a lot of running and squaking, but hopefully I will have more fertile eggs this spring.