Hold up...I’m a Man!

[Flip-N-Flogging]

Well, about five months to the day, and it’s official, we have a rooster that has taken his flock. Our young man is in charge and in full command of the flock. It’s been building up, but as of today, he’s all over the girls, strutting his stuff and doing as he pleases. He’s slowly been asserting himself and making dangers known, but there’s no doubt, he’s found his manhood, and, no fear of the older birds. He’s not a jerk yet and is sharing snacks with everyone before he partakes, which is a good sign I hope of a respectful roo that can hang around for a while. I have officially answered my question, it happened at five months. He’s grown a little and here’s a few pictures of the handsome dude.

 

[Chickassan]

Wow he turned out very handsome!

 

[Flip-N-Flogging]

Well, I take back part of what I said. This young rooster is on the prowl, but the big girls are being very protective of the little girls via a good ole a$$ whooping. He grabbed ahold of an older girl or so at first, but once they realized what’s going on, they are really giving this young man a hard time. Not sure how long that’ll last, but for the time being it’s very entertaining.

 

[Flip-N-Flogging]

Will older chickens keep a rooster in check? Or is it inevitable that a rooster will one day rule the yard?

 

[aart]

Will older chickens keep a rooster in check? Or is it inevitable that a rooster will one day rule the yard?

Both.

It's good that the older hens are keeping him in check.
I assume you have no other males in the flock?

He'll eventually 'win them over'....but it might take a few more week.... or months.

 

[Flip-N-Flogging]

My rooster is really growing into a handsome devil. He still has an issue here and there with an older girl or two, but the dynamic seems to be working itself out. Guess time tell the tale.

He’s well mannered with us, which is key in the end.

Got a couple pictures of him here.

 

[Flip-N-Flogging]

Well, at the end of the day, seems like things are much better off without a rooster.

The older girls and the rooster just could not work it out. I’m proud of my big girls for standing their ground and putting up as much of a fight as they did, but it was too much. The dynamic wasn’t happening and I did not like to see such a segregated hatred coming from the rooster, he really began the target the older hens.

He went to a Wyandotte flock, to a new owner hopeful of producing chicks with him.

It’s been about three weeks at this point and the difference in the yard has already been huge. Everybody is intermingling and comparatively speaking, getting along great. It’s a pieceful flock, happy hens and other then the normal pecking, everyone is getting along.

I’ve had roosters in the past. I have brought grown roosters into a grown flock. I’ve had flocks grown together from day one. All have been rather easy with a little growing pain. For me, my experience with this has been absolutely difference, bringing a rooster from a cockerel, with hos own posy of pulleys, into a grown flock was hard. Maybe over time it would’ve worked out, but it wasn’t something I was willing to continue to be hopeful for. Having a happy flock is way more satisfying.