Can you add a flock with a rooster to a flock that already has one?

[smellslikechaos]

I have six 18 week old chickens, one bantam rooster with 5 standard pullets. They live outside with a little coop and big run. We are getting a bigger coop this weekend so as soon as we get it, I will put the littles in the old coop in the run. I have 6 littles, one I know is a rooster and he is also a bantam. Two of them are day-olds, three look like 2 weeks-ish, and the big one appears to be 3 weeks maybe a month. I'm worried that my roosters will try to kill each other. If I keep them separate for too long, the young rooster will already be crowing by the time I try to integrate them and the big "little" pullet will already be the size of the oldies. However, if I put them together earlier, the day-olds will probably get squashed! My old rooster used to let me pick him up and would sit on my lap but now he pecks me if I try to touch him I don't know why. If I pick him up with oven mitts or something and handle him a lot will he become more gentle and less likely to be mean to the new roo? What is the best way to go about doing this?

 

[donrae]

How much space are you going to have for all these birds total?

You need to keep in mind roosters can be unpredictable. Your first guy is reaching maturity now, and that's probably why his behavior has changed. Until now he's been a kid, now he's maturing.

Bringing the little roosters in early can help, but it will just be a crapshoot as they mature. I've had younger cockerels live happily under an Alpha rooster and not challenge him, and I've had some just want to be Alpha from very early on and cause chaos.

Overall, roosters don't make good pets. Treat them more like livestock, less like a pet and you will probably both be much happier.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The age to integrate chicks is 4-8 weeks. Start by penning them next to each other for a few weeks before beginning supervised mingling. If your young rooster grows up in the flock they shouldn't fight and the younger one should remain submissive to the older rooster.

Make sure you have plenty of room and places for the young ones to get away from the older ones. Don't rush integrating them.

I prefer to not handle my roosters as it seems to make them more likely to try to attack their keeper at some point. Since he's already pecking you it might be too late. Keep you eye on him and don't turn your back on him.

 

[smellslikechaos]

The age to integrate chicks is 4-8 weeks. Start by penning them next to each other for a few weeks before beginning supervised mingling. If your young rooster grows up in the flock they shouldn't fight and the younger one should remain submissive to the older rooster.

Make sure you have plenty of room and places for the young ones to get away from the older ones. Don't rush integrating them.

I prefer to not handle my roosters as it seems to make them more likely to try to attack their keeper at some point. Since he's already pecking you it might be too late. Keep you eye on him and don't turn your back on him.

Okay thank you for the advice! I will start leaving the roo alone, hopefully things can go back to normal

 

[smellslikechaos]

How much space are you going to have for all these birds total? 

You need to keep in mind roosters can be unpredictable. Your first guy is reaching maturity now, and that's probably why his behavior has changed. Until now he's been a kid, now he's maturing. 

Bringing the little roosters in early can help, but it will just be a crapshoot as they mature. I've had younger cockerels live happily under an Alpha rooster and not challenge him, and I've had some just want to be Alpha from very early on and cause chaos. 

Overall, roosters don't make good pets. Treat them more like livestock, less like a pet and you will probably both be much happier. 

I can't remember what the dimensions are, I think the run is 20x20 but I could be wrong. And sadly, I think you're right, I should just stop expecting him to sit in my lap or follow me around like he used to :'(

 

[Mrs. K]

this might work, this might be a wreck, and the older rooster might not be nice to humans and need to be removed, Roosters are a crapshoot.

If you are going to try and have more than two roosters in a flock less than 25, it is good advice to have a cage or pen set up ready to do so that you can separate roosters if they begin to fight.

Mrs K

 

[smellslikechaos]

this might work, this might be a wreck, and the older rooster might not be nice to humans and need to be removed, Roosters are a crapshoot. 

If you are going to try and have more than two roosters in a flock less than 25, it is good advice to have a cage or pen set up ready to do so that you can separate roosters if they begin to fight.

Mrs K

I will keep that in mind thank you

 

[aart]

Yep, smells like chaos, just sayin'.....hahaha!