How to introduce two 8-9 week cockerels to my 6 week ladies

[esturtz27]

I have been given (in trade for honey) two cream legbar/Maran crosses...both are cockerels. I have 20(maybe 21 they move too much when I count) 6week old chickens...one being a cream legbar cockerel for sure (his name is dot and we adore him).
I need advice. I know to quarantine even though these two birds are only from a horse pasture away. Yet I am very unsure about their attitudes...one seems decently chill...I don't want to loose one of my new girls to a grumpy older bird. I'm also worried about the ratio of roo to hen...3 roos! I'm worried that's gonna cause issues too.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

You may need to eventually cull or rehome one of the roosters. Not yet, wait until they're near maturity and the dynamics play out. You'll find out who's a "good" rooster and who's not, who gets along (sort of) and who doesn't.

What's a "good" rooster? He's one who watches over the ladies, warns when there's danger, herds the girls to the coop or to safety, stands his ground to a threat, lets everyone know about the new treats he's found, and does NOT chase you, pets, or small children in the vicinity. All three of them may find their balance and be alright with the flock, but if not.... one has to go. And it's not necessarily the "low man" in the pecking order --- just the one who's not doing his job as well as the others, or the one who's most aggressive to you.

I had one who RAN away from danger with the girls, wimpy little sh*t. Another old, old man who just existed with the flock. Didn't bother anyone, and too old to fight a threat. But he played decoy for them when danger was near, and our big young rooster protected him when another roo picked on him. You just never know until you know.

The new boys are still very young themselves, so you probably won't have an issue integrating them at this stage.

 

[esturtz27]

You may need to eventually cull or rehome one of the roosters. Not yet, wait until they're near maturity and the dynamics play out. You'll find out who's a "good" rooster and who's not, who gets along (sort of) and who doesn't.

What's a "good" rooster? He's one who watches over the ladies, warns when there's danger, herds the girls to the coop or to safety, stands his ground to a threat, lets everyone know about the new treats he's found, and does NOT chase you, pets, or small children in the vicinity. All three of them may find their balance and be alright with the flock, but if not.... one has to go. And it's not necessarily the "low man" in the pecking order --- just the one who's not doing his job as well as the others, or the one who's most aggressive to you.

I had one who RAN away from danger with the girls, wimpy little sh*t. Another old, old man who just existed with the flock. Didn't bother anyone, and too old to fight a threat. But he played decoy for them when danger was near, and our big young rooster protected him when another roo picked on him. You just never know until you know.

The new boys are still very young themselves, so you probably won't have an issue integrating them at this stage.

Thank you so much! I've been nervous about pecking order and grumpy attitudes because of the heat and a late finished coop(rain then excessive heat ). We lost two girls today to a hawk and my one possible cockerel came running to the porch where I was watering flowers guess he wasn't ready.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

There's not much you can do about pecking order; they will have to work it out. It's completely natural and necessary for their well-being. As long as it's brief conflicts, and no one's getting overpowered or beaten up, try not to intervene. The youngster roos will do quite a bit of chest bumping and flapping as they practice their technique. LOL. Provide areas where they can hide from one another, and obstructions in the run to break line-of-sight. It'll help them work things out.