Does having rooster help with flock integrations?

[KendraLeigh]

Hello! I have 4 new chicks I'll be adding to my current flock of 2 hens when the chicks are old enough. I will have them in a separate attached enclosure for the first two weeks, so they won't be thrown in together right away. I have suspicions one of the 4 chicks is a roo. It's a BA who is not growing in tail feathers as fast as the others. The chicks are 2 weeks old, so of course these are suspicions only. I was wondering if the eventual integration will go better if there is a roo among the new additions. My thought is, the roo will want to be dominant, which will keep the hens from really duking it out. This is just curiosity about chicken behavior - thought I could use the opportunity to learn something about it. Thank you for answers!

 

[Aapomp831]

A rooster will be a fierce protector of your girls... but he needs to be kept in his place so he doesn’t start protecting the hens from you.

 

[keesmom]

I was wondering if the eventual integration will go better if there is a roo among the new additions. My thought is, the roo will want to be dominant, which will keep the hens from really duking it out.

He's a cockerel (if the chick is indeed a he), not a mature male. It would be like a 14 year old teen trying to tell a room full of middle aged women what to do. Not going to happen, your mature hens will kick his butt if he tries. But that's not a bad thing, he will learn better manners for it.

 

[KendraLeigh]

A rooster will be a fierce protector of your girls... but he needs to be kept in his place so he doesn’t start protecting the hens from you.

I unfortunately won't be able to keep him, if he is a roo. But I'm making sure to handle him a lot

He's a cockerel (if the chick is indeed a he), not a mature male. It would be like a 14 year old teen trying to tell a room full of middle aged women what to do. Not going to happen, your mature hens will kick his butt if he tries. But that's not a bad thing, he will learn better manners for it.

Lol! Great way to put it.

 

[aart]

I unfortunately won't be able to keep him, if he is a roo.

You'll know by about 4-6 weeks by the color of the comb.
Better start making plans on what you'll do if it is a male.

I have 4 new chicks I'll be adding to my current flock of 2 hens when the chicks are old enough. I will have them in a separate attached enclosure for the first two weeks, so they won't be thrown in together right away.

Can start the 'see no touch' now...then integrate by 4-6 weeks.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

 

[KendraLeigh]

Can start the 'see no touch' now...then integrate by 4-6 weeks.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

Fantastic info, thanks so much for this! I’m certainly hoping I’m wrong about it being a roo... I already dealt with having to get rid of a roo with my last batch. I will try to find it a home but it makes me tired just thinking about dealing with that again . I’d love to keep a roo.