First Time Introducing New Birds....

[KeliD]

I have one hen that is bald just in front of her tail feathers. I think it is over-mating from my rooster, but I’m not sure the best resolution. I have 3 hens (2 Rhode Island Red, 1 Easter Egger) and 2 roosters (1 EE one RI Red) the same age. They are what’s left from the straight run of 8 chicks we got last year. I knew my hen to roo ratio was way too low so I kept the EE roo with my girls and the other separated. Things have been fine so far. This year I got 13 more chicks (sexed pullets- not making the same mistake twice.) 3 RI Reds, 2 Buff Orpington, 2 Australorps and 6 Isa Browns. My plan was to have all of the RI Reds together with the Buffs and Australorps and the 2 Ees with the Isa Browns- mostly because the Isa Browns are a bit smaller than the rest and the EE roo is so gentle. I have the two flocks in their appropriate shelter with the younger girls separated from the older. This puts my RHR roo with 2 hens and I believe he is being a bit too rough with 1 in particular. The younger girls are almost as big as the others so I think they are nearly ready to mix which might give him more action and solve the problem. The younger girls are about 12-15 weeks old and are not on layer feed yet. Should I try mixing them, or just move the roo outside for a while. He is used to being loose as that’s where he was before and seemed to enjoy it. They have a fenced yard to graze in but it’s not covered so the Roos like to go over the fence and perch in the trees or hide in the woods. The hens seem content staying inside the fence since my neighbor’s dogs grabbed one last year when she went over and they killed her. (They were in my yard sitting right outside the chicken enclosure.)
For now, I put the bald hen with the EE roo and hen, but that leaves one hen with the RHR roo. If I put the roo out, no one else can graze because the two Roos fight.

On a side note, one of my Isa Browns has stared laying but none of the other 12.

 

[SMorrison7k]

I would personally go ahead and move the younger ones in! It sounds like your best all around solution. Good luck!

 

[KeliD]

Update:
All of the chicks merged quite seemlessly into the two flicks. My concerns about their slightly smaller size proved unfounded as they have taken no crap from the roosters....or anyone else for that matter. They all seem very happy and my hen with the bald patch seems to prefer the slightly smaller flock and gentle rooster so I let her go where she wants. Thanks so much!

 

[SMorrison7k]

Update:
All of the chicks merged quite seemlessly into the two flicks. My concerns about their slightly smaller size proved unfounded as they have taken no crap from the roosters....or anyone else for that matter. They all seem very happy and my hen with the bald patch seems to prefer the slightly smaller flock and gentle rooster so I let her go where she wants. Thanks so much!

So glad it worked out!