At what age is a rooster old enough to be put with hens?

[Samsmum]

My young rooster is four months old. He's already chasing the older hens ( not related). Is he old enough to be put with three separate hens of his own?

 

[Samsmum]

 

[Den in Penn]

If he is four months he is just maturing sexually, so there is a good chance he is fertile. If the hens are still with another rooster they need to be separated from that one for two to three weeks to be sure the new rooster is the one fertilizing the eggs. By the time that happens he should be fertile for sure. So putting him and the hens together now would not be out of line.

 

[Mrs. K]

He will be maturing, but may not be real nice about it, till he is a older, think teenager.

I don't find them great flock protectors until they are much closer to a year old.

It won't hurt him to be with the hens. If they are older hens they may knock him back a bit and teach him some manners, but if they are pullets, he may get too aggressive for just 3 to manage.