I want to add a rooster to my flock of chicks - ?best age

[BarbP]

I have sixteen 10 week old chick of various breeds that I will eventually add to my flock of 11 older hens and 1 rooster. I want to get a young cockerel to add with the 10 week old chicks so that they can he can establish his own harem before they are all integrated. I wish I had bought a rooster when I got the 16 day old chicks but I was not thinking that far ahead. I see a lot of people giving their roosters away now but most are older. Can anyone give me a suggestion on the best age of cockerel to add to the 16 chicks. What would be the best age range to help ensure he integrates well and to minimize fighting.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It will be near impossible now, the young chicks will not accept a rooster not raised with them, until they are sexually mature, I would actually get those young one integrated before they get much older or there will be pecking and fighting from the older ones. At a younger age they are viewed as chicks, older they become competition. As far as another rooster, sorry I can't see any good way for you at this point, unless you can find one near the same age, but even then it's one against all the others, not good odds. Your current rooster will not allow another adult rooster in his territory. There will be fighting, it's always better to get siblings or perhaps having a hen hatch and raise them, or as you said buy one with the batch of chicks, I always get at least one rooster in every order.

 

[BarbP]

It seems like ;many people have multiple roosters in their flock. I wonder how they do it. When all the chicks are integrated would 1 rooster and 27 hens be a bit overwhelming for the poor boy?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Your rooster would probably be very happy to have 27 girls all to himself. But, if you're trying to hatch eggs, you might find your fertility isn't very good.

I keep multiple roosters in my flocks. When I introduce a new bird (in general) they go into a dog crate in my coop for a couple of weeks so everyone can get used to each other. Then, I just let them out. Theres usually a little squabbling, nothing terrible, and everyone settles down and gets on with it.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Integrating a young cockerel to a cock bird and his harem is potentially disasterous. If there is not more than enough space there is potential of the older actually killing the stag. Of course that's the worst case scenario and very much dependent on the cock birds personality, number of pullets/hens and space available for them. Just be prepared to have a small coop to grow out cockerel and few pullets until completely grown.