How do you introduce a young roo to an older (2yr) flock of 14 hens???

[chuckzoo]

My sister has 14 BR hens now close to 2 years old. Since some of them are going broodie she would like to get a roo. The roo is 18 months old.

What is the best way to introduce him and will the hens attack him?

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are the quarantine issues to consider. I assume you know about that. I'll go through a bit anyway.

If the rooster is coming from a stable environment, which means it has not been introduced to other new chickens in the past month, quarantining him by himself is pretty useless. Either flock could have diseases they are immune to but they could infect the other flock. If he is immune to something, you can isolate him for years and never see any symptoms. If he is coming from somewhere that he has been exposed to other new chickens, like a chicken swap, then a quarantine is a good idea. I don't quarantine since the only way I add new blood to my flock is by getting hatching eggs, but if i did, I would put one or two hens from the existing flock with him in quarantine to see if they infect each other. This way I would risk one or two chickens, not the entire flock.

For what I think is your basic question, I would just turn him loose with the flock. You are dealing with living animals so anything is possible. It is always possible your hens will pick on him, especially a less mature rooster with mature hens, but the odds are that he is mature enough that he will WOW them with his tremendous looks and personality and just step in and take charge.

 

[chuckzoo]

Thanks Ridgerunner.

I am hoping that he will WOW the ladies! He is coming from a breeder that says he is quite tame and can be petted. I don't think her hens are aggressive either so hopefully things will go well and they will welcome their new man into their midst.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
With the Quarantine & disease issues considered and addressed, then just put him in there, there will be an adjustment period but they will handle it just fine. If I was allways worried about the birds romantic mental stability, I would never get anything accomplished in my breeding pen's.

AL

 

[centrarchid]

Assuming bio-security issues as indicated above are addressed, problems should be minimal.


A rooster that is 18 months of age (full adult), a little larger than the largest hen and in good health should have little or no problem with rejection. Younger or infirm males most likely to problems. Fights if they occur will be brief and hens observing rooster fighting will quickly submit once they see his quality. He may have difficulty covering 14 all the hens.

If (a big if) problems develop, can you partition coop placing rooster on one side and hens on other? Then introduce hens a few at a time to his side. Intervals between introductions could be minutes or days.

 

[chuckzoo]

Thanks guys I appreciate the advice and reassurance.

My sister is looking forward to having lots of little chicks running around the yard!

I am not sure at what age roos mature, but I hope it is before the broodies get out of broodie-mode (he is ~ 19 months). I also hope that he can handle the 14 ladies, from what I have read here people have 1 roo to every 12 hens.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
At 19 months I would suspect he has been able to sire chicks for more than a year. He is in his prime.

 

[chuckzoo]

Oops! I meant 19 weeks!

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
That is an important difference. He is not ready. They will kick his butt.

You can still intergrate him and when testosterone kicks in he will move to top of pecking order almost overnight.

Keep him in a pen within the coop or use partition as mentioned earlier. After a couple days, release him and watch. If fighting ensues and he gets whipped, then put him back to repeat again in week or so. If no fighting, then leave him be.

Is he of same breed?

 

[chuckzoo]

Quote:
That is an important difference. He is not ready. They will kick his butt.

You can still intergrate him and when testosterone kicks in he will move to top of pecking order almost overnight.

Keep him in a pen within the coop or use partition as mentioned earlier. After a couple days, release him and watch. If fighting ensues and he gets whipped, then put him back to repeat again in week or so. If no fighting, then leave him be.

Is he of same breed?

I can't believe I wrote 19 months!

Yes he is the same breed, but is coming from a different breeder than the one she got the hens from.