Help! Rooster isn't getting along with my chickens

[barbara26]

I got my first 6 pullets two days ago. Today I bring home two hens and a rooster. The rooster is young but doesn't like my original hens. He gets along with the two hens he came with, he chases the others.

Is there anything I can do? They're scared and I don't know if I can help them.

 

[centrarchid]

Allow him to mature. Normally he would be hanging out only with young relatives and when he got sassy an adult rooster would put him in his place. I would simply combine him by himself until all his feathers are fully in. Upon release he will be very different beast even with chicks.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi

As someone who speaks from experience here, you need to be much more careful about mixing birds from different sources. Research quarantine. There are many diseases that can be carried without showing symptoms but develop when the bird is under stress like a change of environment or new flock mates, so seemingly healthy birds suddenly get sick after arriving in a new home and pass that sickness on to the flock they have been integrated into. with sometimes devastating results. I got Marek's disease in my flock this way. Young poultry are particularly at risk.

Keep the cockerel and his hens separate from your other pullets both to protect them from his behaviour until he is old enough to have settled down a bit and they are mature enough to be ready for mating, but also to protect each group from any possible viruses the other is carrying. In a month or two, if all are still healthy, then retry integration.

 

[centrarchid]

I have no experience.

 

[barbara26]

I would separate them but I don't have place to do that. I hate that rooster. He is so mean to them! If he doesn't get better he will became food for foxes. (I'm kidding).
I'll give him one week, if it doesn't get better, I don't know what will I do with him. I don't want to kill him..

 

[centrarchid]

Do you have material like used to make pen below. Wood components not needed. Make a cylinder then put a lid on it and a stick for a roost. Takes 20 minutes.

 

[rebrascora]

I have no experience.

Hi

I think you may have misunderstood my meaning.... I was trying to say that I made this mistake of not quarantining new birds and I am now paying for it....I had to euthanise a young pullet with Marek's last week and it was heart rending...... I was certainly not suggesting that I know more than you or anyone else ..... just alerting the OP to beware of making the same tragic mistake I did. I wasn't aware of how important quarantine is when I first got my chickens and it would appear that the OP is not either.

 

[centrarchid]

Hi

I think you may have misunderstood my meaning.... I was trying to say that I made this mistake of not quarantining new birds and I am now paying for it....I had to euthanise a young pullet with Marek's last week and it was heart rending...... I was certainly not suggesting that I know more than you or anyone else ..... just alerting the OP to beware of making the same tragic mistake I did. I wasn't aware of how important quarantine is when I first got my chickens and it would appear that the OP is not either.  

Mareks will not be stopped by quarantine with free-range birds. I have closed flock for decade yet is comes in with migratory songbirds.

 

[barbara26]

I think the hen house was too small for them to be inside all day and night. We have now finished the fence and let them out of the hen house. They are getting along pretty well now. Thanks for your answers. And I don't think that they have any diseases. 6 pullets I bought were vaccinate against all the diseases. And the altsteirer rooster and his two ladies were exhibition chickens.

 

[aart]

I think the hen house was too small for them to be inside all day and night. We have now finished the fence and let them out of the hen house. They are getting along pretty well now. Thanks for your answers. And I don't think that they have any diseases. 6 pullets I bought were vaccinate against all the diseases. And the altsteirer rooster and his two ladies were exhibition chickens.

Don't kid yourself.....not all diseases can be vaccinated against.
Exhibition birds can be exposed to a plethora of pests/diseases at shows.


Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock



Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
Poultry Biosecurity
BYC 'medical quarantine' search