Hi everyone, we really need advice from someone who has handled integration of older birds into a flock with rooster. Our two sweet buff orpies are 20 months old. Orginally, it was just the two, plus one rhode island red. In February, we introduced 9 chicks we had brooded inside, and one of them was a cockerel. Because the pullets outnumbered the existing flock, the intro was very easy for them, but trouble started when the roo started mating.
The rhode island red immediately submitted to him and became the queen of the flock and is top of the pecking order. The two buff orpies on the other hand fell quickly down the pecking order. One of them (Goldie) started getting aggressive toward the rooster when he would try to mount her, and so he started punishing her...chasing her off from the flock and making sure she didn't get food or treats. Meanwhile, the other buffy (Gertie) went broody, and since it was her fourth time doing so, we decided to let her hatch the eggs.
Suddenly we wake up to Goldie with an almost fatal injury to her neck; she was hiding in the coop completely ripped open. We immediately isolated her and with amazing luck, we were able to save her! Meanwhile, since Gertie had stopped moving around to sit on eggs, she got mites. So rather than let the mites spread from her nesting box to the whole flock, we made the decision to put both buff orpies into their own coop to mother the chicks.
Flash forward to today. Last night we put the four pullets and two buff orpies - our second flock - into the coop of the primary flock so that they'd all wake up together today to begin the permanent integration. It was going well under mid-afternoon, when suddenly Mr. Roo is trying to mount Gertie, chasing her all over. He gets on top of her, and then two of his hens (the queen and the next in line after roo) start attacking her face while he holds her down. Took hubby three attempts to get them off her. She's now isolated in their separate yard. Two hours later, he goes after Goldie. Hubby has great dominence over the roo, so he just picked him up and held him until he felt he'd learned his lesson. But now we're terrified for both of our buffy girls once again. The pullets are totally fine...just the older hens are being targeted.
We both feel that these two will never submit to a roo after their traumas so far...it seemed clear Goldie remembers him from the previous attack. We don't want to get rid of our roo....he's really really good with his existing flock and seems he will be to the pullets too. Ok, FINALLY our question:
Can hubby be the rooster to these two hens, thereby making our rooster leave them alone forever? Can he be taught to leave alone just two gals in the flock? ANY sage advice is appreciated!!
The rhode island red immediately submitted to him and became the queen of the flock and is top of the pecking order. The two buff orpies on the other hand fell quickly down the pecking order. One of them (Goldie) started getting aggressive toward the rooster when he would try to mount her, and so he started punishing her...chasing her off from the flock and making sure she didn't get food or treats. Meanwhile, the other buffy (Gertie) went broody, and since it was her fourth time doing so, we decided to let her hatch the eggs.
Suddenly we wake up to Goldie with an almost fatal injury to her neck; she was hiding in the coop completely ripped open. We immediately isolated her and with amazing luck, we were able to save her! Meanwhile, since Gertie had stopped moving around to sit on eggs, she got mites. So rather than let the mites spread from her nesting box to the whole flock, we made the decision to put both buff orpies into their own coop to mother the chicks.
Flash forward to today. Last night we put the four pullets and two buff orpies - our second flock - into the coop of the primary flock so that they'd all wake up together today to begin the permanent integration. It was going well under mid-afternoon, when suddenly Mr. Roo is trying to mount Gertie, chasing her all over. He gets on top of her, and then two of his hens (the queen and the next in line after roo) start attacking her face while he holds her down. Took hubby three attempts to get them off her. She's now isolated in their separate yard. Two hours later, he goes after Goldie. Hubby has great dominence over the roo, so he just picked him up and held him until he felt he'd learned his lesson. But now we're terrified for both of our buffy girls once again. The pullets are totally fine...just the older hens are being targeted.
We both feel that these two will never submit to a roo after their traumas so far...it seemed clear Goldie remembers him from the previous attack. We don't want to get rid of our roo....he's really really good with his existing flock and seems he will be to the pullets too. Ok, FINALLY our question:
Can hubby be the rooster to these two hens, thereby making our rooster leave them alone forever? Can he be taught to leave alone just two gals in the flock? ANY sage advice is appreciated!!
