I Need Some Advice

[ChickensForever16]

I bought a pair of old English game bantams back a few months ago and I just recently lost my hen, my rooster is lonely and where he's so small I can't find him another mate or partner that won't be 2x his size. I just hate that he's alone in his little cage. Would you guys think he'd be okay going out with my full-size hens when it gets warmer or would you think they'd hurt him? My hens don't bother any new chickens I put in with them, I'm just not sure how they'd be with a tiny rooster. That is him in the picture. He's just so small. I don't want to get rid of him. I just need someone else's opinion whether or not it would be a good idea or not. He's not going to get any bigger. He's 3 years old.

 

[Mal_03]

Hi there,

I think you should give it a shot and try if you say your hens don't bother newcomers, do it in the evening when they're less active and only under your observation first.
You could put him in for a while everyday for a few days till they get used to him (if the initial reaction isn't aggressive) and if all goes well , you have nothing to worry about.

Btw breed are your hens? And what's his nature like? It depends upon that as well.

 

[Mal_03]

I bought a pair of old English game bantams back a few months ago and I just recently lost my hen, my rooster is lonely and where he's so small I can't find him another mate or partner that won't be 2x his size. I just hate that he's alone in his little cage. Would you guys think he'd be okay going out with my full-size hens when it gets warmer or would you think they'd hurt him? My hens don't bother any new chickens I put in with them, I'm just not sure how they'd be with a tiny rooster. That is him in the picture. He's just so small. I don't want to get rid of him. I just need someone else's opinion whether or not it would be a good idea or not. He's not going to get any bigger. He's 3 years old.View attachment 1680211

Also, you said you bought the pair a few months ago, but he's 3 years old?

 

[ChickensForever16]

They were 3 when I got them. The person was selling them because they were a breeding pair at his farm and he had enough new chicks from his pairs so he decided he would retire them to homes that would treat them as pets.

Also, you said you bought the pair a few months ago, but he's 3 years old?

 

[ChickensForever16]

Hi there,

I think you should give it a shot and try if you say your hens don't bother newcomers, do it in the evening when they're less active and only under your observation first.
You could put him in for a while every day for a few days till they get used to him (if the initial reaction isn't aggressive) and if all goes well, you have nothing to worry about.

Btw breed are your hens? And what's his nature like? It depends upon that as well.

I have many different breeds of hens. From a blue Andalusian to Turkens and Polish. I have 16 outside in the coop. He and his mate had a personal little cage because we were gonna get them a little coop like a rabbit hutch. He's kind of skittish but he's never been aggressive. Even when I brought my outside rooster (he's long passed) in the house because he was injured.

 

[dalasgalas]

I'd say go for it. Why are you waiting until it gets warmer?

 

[ShellyBlanco]

I have a Bearded Silkie Rooster (weighs about 3 lbs) topping my RIRs (ten of them). He is a great lookout for the yard and is happy with the girls.

 

[ChickensForever16]

UPDATE: It was not a good idea. My hens acted like they have never acted before and tried to attack him as soon as I put him down.

 

[Mal_03]

UPDATE: It was not a good idea. My hens acted like they have never acted before and tried to attack him as soon as I put him down.

Sorry to hear that.
Sometimes it takes time getting used to. Slow and steady wins the race. If you expose them to him for a little while each day they might warm up to him.
I've introduced small roosters before to my polish hens in the past and it took around 2 weeks for them to get used to and stay happily together. I used to supervise them while they were let out to free range for an hour every day. Did this twice.

On the other hand, you could get a bantam hen/pullet for him, so he has company?