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[tiffvitorino]

I have a run with 5 older hens 2 older roosters I think in my rooster/hen ratio is way off some of my chickens backs are bare. I have some 13 week olds in another pen. Can I move them over? Also I have a mom who hatched 3 babies about 5 weeks ago in that own too. Can I move her over with the other two in the bigger flock? The 3 babies will be left with some 9 week olds. Will that be okay ?

 

[Pyxis]

You are correct about your ratio being off, you want five to ten hens per rooster.

You can try introducing the 13 week olds but they won't take the pressure off your other girls until they reach laying age - roosters don't mate with juveniles. I would recommend the "see but don't touch" introduction method. Same for the hen and her chicks, if you've kept her out of sight of the main flock they will have forgotten her and she will need to be reintroduced.

In the meantime while waiting for the pullets to mature, you might want to get your hens some hen saddles. You can find some for sale here on this site in the Buy Sell Trade section.

 

[Pork Pie]

An alternative would be to keep your Roo in a separate run for a few weeks, until your pullets are at mating age.

CT

 

[tiffvitorino]

She hasn't been out of sight non of them have there is a wire fence between them they see each other but can't get to each other. Do I separate the mom or just out the chicks in with everyone? I have some 11 week olds also 2 Roos and 2 more pullet. Should everyone just go together now? And when is the best time close to sundown?

 

[Pyxis]

You could integrate the mom and her chicks back into the flock now if you wanted, but she's not going to be mated by the roosters either - broody hens don't mate - so you could wait on the integration until the chicks are older if you're worried about them if taking the pressure off your other hens was the only reason you wanted them back in the flock now.

The best time usually to put the groups together after the see but don't touch method is at night. Then they all wake up together and it's not as obvious that there are new birds as it would be if you put them in there in broad daylight, and they're hungry and usually more interested in food than harrassing each other.