Does size matter?

[Miss Pam]

I am somewhat new at raising chickens and lost all my hens and their babies to racoons and/or other predators. A lone rooster has survived a number of hens. He is a banty as were all the other hens (that I loved). Anyway, someone offered me two more hens and so I took them, because they said they were free range, and I figured they knew more about self preservation. But these hens are twice as large as my rooster! The last large hen that I bought, I let out too soon and the rooster freaked and attacked it and killed it. Now I have my two new ladies in an enclosed garden and he is interested but hasn't gotten inside to them yet.

My question is, from all of your experiences, can this rooster adapt to these hens twice their size or should I keep them separate?

Thanks. This site is great for helping me learn.

 

[cupman]

One of the most common approaches seems to be separating them for a few days with wire or some other material so they can see each other but not physically access each other. Maybe you could build a little wall in the corner of your coop and let them slowly meet each other.

 

[Miss Pam]

Thanks, that is what I am doing. I am just concerned because of his fear and attack from the last event, and wondered if he could overcome it and not take out his aggression on these lovely hens but become family with them.