I got a 10-week-old cockerel for my hens. Was it a mistake?

[L-plate chicken mum]

Just found this thread, hopefully all is going well with your flock.
Found Shadrach’s “understanding your rooster” a helpful read.
Does what it says on the tin

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

 

[JuliaSunshine]

Just found this thread, hopefully all is going well with your flock.
Found Shadrach’s “understanding your rooster” a helpful read.
Does what it says on the tin

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

Thank you. It has worked out quite well actually. He became the leader of our 8 chicks once the mother left them. I also moved him to the chicks' coop and he seemed to grow faster probably because he could eat more without the hens bullying him.
Now he's 21 weeks old and bigger than the hens who don't peck him any more and a couple of them let him mate with them probably because they are tired of his repetitive circling dance.

He looks after another 6 younger chicks and move around among 3 groups of chicks and hens total 19.
Also he makes alarm sounds which are quickly joined by others.
I feel more at ease letting them roam around even though my husband and I still have to go out regularly to check on them.
I wouldn't be without a rooster again especially when there are small chicks around.

Now the rooster wants to sleep in the hens' coop even though he looked a bit cautious for the first couple of nights perching with the ladies.

We like him a lot. Hope he doesn't break our heart by becoming human aggressive like the last one. He's been gentle and still a bit scared of us even though I handfed him so many times.
Now I gave up on training him to be friendly and just keep on trying to gain his trust.

I have read the linked post before and I'm glad to read it again.

 

[L-plate chicken mum]

So glad it’s working out, he sounds like he has the makings of a really good rooster. Hope it all works out for you & your flock

 

[3KillerBs]

He became the leader of our 8 chicks once the mother left them.

He looks after another 6 younger chicks

A rooster that looks after chicks is such a joy.

I've seen chicks run right under a rooster between his legs to escape a tormentor.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Thank you. It has worked out quite well actually. He became the leader of our 8 chicks once the mother left them. I also moved him to the chicks' coop and he seemed to grow faster probably because he could eat more without the hens bullying him.
Now he's 21 weeks old and bigger than the hens who don't peck him any more and a couple of them let him mate with them probably because they are tired of his repetitive circling dance.

He looks after another 6 younger chicks and move around among 3 groups of chicks and hens total 19.
Also he makes alarm sounds which are quickly joined by others.
I feel more at ease letting them roam around even though my husband and I still have to go out regularly to check on them.
I wouldn't be without a rooster again especially when there are small chicks around.

Now the rooster wants to sleep in the hens' coop even though he looked a bit cautious for the first couple of nights perching with the ladies.

We like him a lot. Hope he doesn't break our heart by becoming human aggressive like the last one. He's been gentle and still a bit scared of us even though I handfed him so many times.
Now I gave up on training him to be friendly and just keep on trying to gain his trust.

I have read the linked post before and I'm glad to read it again.

I am happy that you have such a great cockerel! Normally, the males will abandon or kill the chicks, but you do have those who will take care of them.

 

[Mrs. K]

Crossing my fingers for you. Such a pleasure when you get a good one. Still watching the pair of mine.

 

[JuliaSunshine]

A rooster that looks after chicks is such a joy.

I've seen chicks run right under a rooster between his legs to escape a tormentor.

That's so cute. My new rooster met the chicks when they were 5 weeks old and he sometimes pecked them when the mother hen wasn't around who would peck and shoo him away.
I guess he wanted to show who the boss was to the youngsters.
But he kept close to the mother and the chicks and as soon as the mother left the chicks he led them around. It was quite amusing.

The funny thing is now that he started to mate with some of the hens, he hangs out with the hens more often than not and pecks and shoos away the pullets and cockerels when really good and rare treats are given out like blackberries.
But he's generally good with all the youngsters and even breaks up fights between cockerels sometimes. He looks healthy and happy.

The older rooster has pecked very young chicks of his own as well as their mother hens to my dismay. I think this new one will be a much better father.

 

[jBabychickn]

Just found this thread, hopefully all is going well with your flock.
Found Shadrach’s “understanding your rooster” a helpful read.
Does what it says on the tin

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

I absolutely LOVE Shadrachs articles… I learned so much from them...
— I personally adore roosters. I find them fascinating; I believe with patience and providing the right balance between dominance and reward, you will have a great bird that will gladly lay-down his life for your flock, and for you too!

Here’s a picture of our Roo, a Salmon Faverolle. He did not fully mature until he was around 9-10mos old, but he’s absolutely AMAZING!

Here he is over by our Bantam flock of Silkies, even tho they have their own rooster, he always checks-in on them as well, just to make sure everything is well on the whole farm…

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

My 3 1/2 year old hens chase my new roosters away but after a while they will respect him - it just takes time.

 

[jBabychickn]

My 3 1/2 year old hens chase my new roosters away but after a while they will respect him - it just takes time.

I think cockerels that mature into roosters around senior Hens are much more respectful to the flock dynamic in general …