I need a rooster!

[I-Love-Pallets]

Okay, that rooster is NOT attacking! He’s walking away and the cows are coming after HIM! He’s merely defending himself!

 

[I-Love-Pallets]

Hello everyone,

So, we’ve now had Big Chungus (my grandson named him…haha) for 5 weeks, so he’s about 9 weeks old. Initially, I had him totally segregated from the pullets, who are 19-20 weeks old. Although he is definitely gaining on them in size, he’s still much smaller than they are. For the last 2 weeks, I’ve had a big dog kennel inside the run. When the girls are free-ranging, he has whole the run all to himself. When I bring them back into the run, he’s in the kennel. Initially, he would pace around very nervously, but after a day or two he realized they can’t get to him, and he became much more relaxed. At evening, when the girls go into the coop, I transfer him to the shed, where I have big box set up with a roost for him to sleep on. A few times, I’ve tried to let them be together in the run, but several of the pullets gang up on him, pecking him, and driving him headfirst into a corner where he cowers, trembling. (I keep warning them that they should be careful, because one of these days…lol.)

I know I can’t keep this up indefinitely, but I want to get some ideas of when I may be able to totally integrate him into the flock. I’ve heard that I should put him in the coop after they’ve all gone in to roost, but I’m really not sure I should do that yet. Should I wait until he tries to defend himself from the incessant pecking?

Any input, ideas, signs to watch for, advice, etc., would be most welcomed.

I’ve added a few pics to show the size difference. He definitely looks a lot bigger than he feels when I pick him up.

Thanks!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

He's still pretty young. At 9 weeks, most of my cockerels are just getting weaned, or have been for only a couple weeks, and it takes them a long time between weaning and hormones

 

[Betsy57]

I've brought in a young rooster to an existing flock of hens and it was fine. I let him be with them in the chicken yard so he can run away but kept him by himself at night so they can't attack him and he not have anywhere to run to. I have a 4 month old now that I am incorporating in my existing flock of hens and mature rooster. They are picking on him but eventually he will master the hens and one of the roosters will be 'boss' and the other accept that. I've always had good luck doing it this way. They just need time and space to adjust and get used to each other; to re-establish pecking order.

 

[I-Love-Pallets]

I've brought in a young rooster to an existing flock of hens and it was fine. I let him be with them in the chicken yard so he can run away but kept him by himself at night so they can't attack him and he not have anywhere to run to. I have a 4 month old now that I am incorporating in my existing flock of hens and mature rooster. They are picking on him but eventually he will master the hens and one of the roosters will be 'boss' and the other accept that. I've always had good luck doing it this way. They just need time and space to adjust and get used to each other; to re-establish pecking order.

Thanks for that input. I’m starting to think I may need to get him to about 4 months old, which will be early December. It’s already been getting to around 32° here in Southern Ohio, but he should be okay in the shed even quite a bit colder than that, right?

 

[Betsy57]

Thanks for that input. I’m starting to think I may need to get him to about 4 months old, which will be early December. It’s already been getting to around 32° here in Southern Ohio, but he should be okay in the shed even quite a bit colder than that, right?

Yes, 4 months or older would be good I think. Should be okay in the cold. He needs good ventilation in the shed.

 

[Folly's place]

Let him out by himself first, so he can get familiar with your yard. then consider letting all of the birds outside at the same time, don't do it in the run only.
Mary

 

[I-Love-Pallets]

Let him out by himself first, so he can get familiar with your yard. then consider letting all of the birds outside at the same time, don't do it in the run only.
Mary

I was actually thinking about that as well…thanks!

 

[bobbi-j]

What does your run look like? Are there things he can go behind to get out of sight of the older birds(without getting cornered)? Do you have more than one feeder and waterer? I agree that outside the run would be a good way to get them used to one another so he has more places to go to escape.

 

[I-Love-Pallets]

What does your run look like? Are there things he can go behind to get out of sight of the older birds(without getting cornered)? Do you have more than one feeder and waterer? I agree that outside the run would be a good way to get them used to one another so he has more places to go to escape.

The run is about 10x15 and pretty spartan…no hiding places. I did let him out earlier but I’m running from one of the girls, he went under the coop, which is pretty low to the ground, so I had to coax him out.

I do think I’ve hit on something though. My garden is 20x40 and after cleaning out the plants today, I put him in with two girls. A little while later I added one and now I have 5 in with him. They are pretty much all minding their own business. Every once in a while one of the girls will make a move toward him, and he will run away. They quickly lose interest because there are so many bugs and things for them to eat and they get back to that.