How long to incorporate a new hen with Rooster?

[grnidone]

Ive had a new hen for about a month and a half. She is incorporated well with the other hen and baby Roo and gets along well with them. Head Roo has been on a "see but not touch for a month.

Head Roo got out and pecked a hole into new hen's neck.

I am so angry now that I'm thinking of making chicken soup.

Ho long will this take?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The simple answer is it depends. I would keep up the lock up, and random releasing to see if he eventually accepts her. After about 2 months he would go in the freezer here, especially if you have another young rooster. 2 roosters is never a good idea as they can end up focusing on each other until one kills the other. You may have to choose down the road, especially if your birds are combined.

 

[aart]

2 roosters is never a good idea as they can end up focusing on each other until one kills the other.

Yes, or it just creates an environment of competition, which can also manifest in the males treating the females poorly.

Ive had a new hen for about a month and a half. She is incorporated well with the other hen and baby Roo and gets along well with them. Head Roo has been on a "see but not touch for a month.

Am I counting correctly.....you have 2 hens(older than one year?), a baby 'roo'(how old), and a 'head roo'(how old?)????


FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

 

[grnidone]

Am I counting correctly.....you have 2 hens(older than one year?), a baby 'roo'(how old), and a 'head roo'(how old)

Henry: Head Roo, 3 years old
Penny: Hen, also 3 years old
Peeps: "New" hen, 2 years old
Ozzy, Cockerel, will be 4 months on April 26 (hatched day after Christmas.

Ozzy is pretty much terrified of everyone. He started crowing until I introduced him to the group in February and hasn't made a sound since. He is lowest in the pecking order and is very polite to the others, even when he is with the hens and Henry can't get to him.

Henry is gigantic. Twice the size of everyone else. Nobody takes him on.

Peeps and Penny get along well. Not a peck between the two.