how do I introduce a new roo!?

[jreynolds24]

My friend bought 5 chicks she only wants 4 but just incase of death/roo she got an extra. .. I said I would take her extra, well one looks to be a roo I think her chicks are 4 weeks and mine are 8 weeks... if they were hens we were going to wait til the were almost full grown so she could pick her least favorite and ship her away. .. but now that its (probably) a roo she knows he needs to go. Any suggestions on what we should do ?

 

[Duckopolis]

Glad to have you around!

http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyar...duce-new-chickens-into-my-old-flock-H128.aspx

Check out the link. I hope it helps!

 

[calebc311]

They would taste fine

But if butchering is a problem and it's a big hassle, I would slowly introduce him and observe his behaviors. If he's too rough to the hens, maybe quarantine him a bit more while letting him see and interact with the hens. If introducing the roo succeeds, it should be fine.

If someone on craiglist is willing to take a rooster, that's good except the roo might get eaten... or maybe someone just wants a protective chicken to guard the hens.
I would try my best to sell/give him away or try to find a chicken rescue area. Don't know much about them but Ive heard of places that take in unwanted chickens and uses them for eggs/meat/etc. The living conditions of those areas probably varies from place to place.

 

[jreynolds24]

We definitely down with eating them, but I was hoping id have a dude defending the flock. He is quite a bit younger then mine I was wondering if I should wait til hes older or start acclimating him or to start now ? My ladies are still young but look alot bigger then he is.

 

[C2theJ2theSMIT]

Hiya JRey! Here is the little stud, at 4 weeks. To all on the forum, we're all ok with him getting eaten, but the smitty's just can't be "the" family that butchers/eats him, seeing how we've named, or rather misnamed, him. He still needs to feather out and as J said, he is about 4 weeks behind hers ladies. So we're trying to figure out the best way to acclimate him to the flock. Thanks for your insight.

 

[jreynolds24]

Hehehe! Hey girl!

 

[Den in Penn]

You can start to acclimate him to your flock after six weeks or when he's out of the brooder. Keep him separate for a week or two, where he can and interact with the others through the wire. The difference between a eight week and twelve weeks should be alright if he has enough room to run if he needs. The four week age difference should work out, cockerels mature faster then pullets.

 

[Aacre]

You can start to acclimate him to your flock after six weeks or when he's out of the brooder. Keep him separate for a week or two, where he can and interact with the others through the wire. The difference between a eight week and twelve weeks should be alright if he has enough room to run if he needs. The four week age difference should work out, cockerels mature faster then pullets.

X2
It should work out just fine this way! He sure looks like a cutie!

 

[Cluckysnap123]

NO! DON'T EAT HIM!!! Slowly introduce him to the others and see how he gets along, if he doesn't then give him to a loving home where he WON'T be going into a stewpot.

 

[C2theJ2theSMIT]

Okay, thank you all! We will keep you posted on how it goes.

JRey, I'll post more pics of him up here so you and everyone else can watch his growth until he's ready to move to your homestead. I'm so glad you're taking him in, my friend. =)