Integrating a cockerel into a flock of mature hens

[lazy gardener]

My RSLs are meanies and I can foresee them behaving the same as yours did when a broody with chicks returns to the flock. There's nothing peaceful about them, unlike the rest of the flock and they don't coexist well with anyone but each other. Ichabod had to work at putting them in their place and often times would just stand on them to reiterate that he's not going to tolerate their bullying anymore. They treated him far worse than anyone when he joined the flock and they're the only ones I've seen him stand on like that.

When I started raising chickens, I never intended on keeping a rooster and having chicks to hatch so my coop is not designed with proper accommodations. I've been unhappy with it for a while even without having a rooster and future offspring from my existing flock. I am continuously reworking my design for a new one and definitely need to include space within it for broodies.

The flock master's work is never done!!!!!

 

[islandgirl82]

Quote:
Exactly!

 

[speckledhen]

I just got caught up with Ichabod's story. He's looking mighty fine! And congrats on the new girls. The feather eating may be just that they were not fed a high enough protein level at their former home, but mine will eat small, softer feathers off the floor even when I'm feeding 22% layer pellets. If she constantly plucks her sisters, then you'd have to see how you might discourage her. That could be a habit she developed from an overcrowded situation and just is continuing to do what she has been doing.

 

[islandgirl82]

I have little doubt the overcrowding is what initiated the picking. She's definitely top girl of the pullets and I think it's likely due to the picking. I've watched her perform sneak attacks; when the other girls are distracted she slowly approaches them from behind, then grabs a feather from their backs as quickly as she can and rushes off with it to eat it. She doesn't do it if they're aware of her.

The pullet who had gone missing for their first full day finally has a developing comb and it's a very nice one, maybe the best in the bunch. Her wattles are still extremely small, virtually non-existent but all is turning red now though I'm unsure if she's begun laying yet. The other three seem to prefer laying on the ground instead of in the coop, let alone in the nest box. I have wooden eggs to use to try to encourage them to lay in the box but I can't remember where I put them...I'm thinking packed away with our Easter decorations as they weren't really needed before so I guess it's time for an off-season egg hunt.

 

[islandgirl82]

This morning, I let Ichabod and the main flock out to free-range briefly and to give them a chance to meet the pullets. Quarantine isn't going well as the picking had been getting better with the increased protein in their diet but has now regressed to something even worse than what it was initially and as much as I was hoping to avoid the peepers, it's time to try them.

All but two of the main flock rushed past the quarantine area; Ichabod and Grace, one of the Dominique hens stopped at the pullets' pen. The two more passive pullets stayed in the center of their pen and remained there whilst Grace and one of the more dominant pullets immediately began to spar through the barrier though neither was daring enough to make it serious and the second dominant went for Ichabod. He didn't engage like Grace did but instead lowered his head and stepped forward, placing himself between the barrier and me, whilst glaring at her with his hackles slightly raised. She kept reaching through trying to peck at his comb but he kept just out of reach. When I stepped away, he followed. I have no doubt he was protecting me from what was an obvious threat to his flock (from his perspective).

This is not an integration I'm looking forward to. At all. When the time comes, I think it will be best to let the two less dominant pullets out to free range with the main flock, allowing them time to find their place in the order before introducing the other two who will most definitely need to be in the peepers for a while and may remain in solitary well after the more passive girls have been integrated. I'm not sure if this approach will make this process more complicated and stressful than necessary but I also don't want my main flock suffering through feather picking and bad attitudes, especially when everyone is finally finishing up with their molting.

 

[aart]

Bummer....or let em out and let work thru it......might be ferocious but quick.
Maybe do it close to roost time

 

[islandgirl82]

The feather picking is my main concern. POL pullet integrations are the worst type (IMO). Given these girls were raised and still mixed with many cockerels when I got them, I was surprised by their response to Ichabod. Though they have had a couple of weeks to sort out their own order without a male in the mix, they've still been able to see and hear him the whole time. His response to them was also surprising, or at least him stepping between the pullet and me. He did look at Grace and the other pullet sparring but stepped my way instead.

The one that had gone MIA that first day is the most passive of the new girls and the most trusting of me. I'm not quite sure which one is the other passive pullet so I may start with letting out just the one and see how that goes while I figure out who the other passive girl is (I should band them). I expect the typical low key sparring and pecking from everyone but she's quite non-confrontational. I don't like introducing just one to a whole flock but getting her out of the small group sooner rather than later I feel will be most beneficial for her and I know she's not a picker.

 

[islandgirl82]

I let the main flock out briefly again this afternoon and Ichabod had a closer encounter with the pullets (they were still in their run), the most dominant leaving his comb rather bloody. This is the same girl who is the obvious feather picker and also the one who took the most time settling down when I first caught her at their previous home. She's had a lot of fight in her since day one and I'll be moving her to solitary after dark for a couple of weeks. Maybe I'm being overly protective of Ichabod but he's far too sweet to have to put up with that and even the two RSLs, even at their worst, aren't that bad. If solitary doesn't resolve this issue, I think I'm left with just one option unfortunately but rehoming her to be a problem for someone else isn't okay with me.

I'll also be able to tell how severe these issues may be amidst the other three once the meanie has been removed. I have a feeling they'll be a lot calmer without her.

 

[aart]

I let the main flock out briefly again this afternoon and Ichabod had a closer encounter with the pullets (they were still in their run), the most dominant leaving his comb rather bloody. This is the same girl who is the obvious feather picker and also the one who took the most time settling down when I first caught her at their previous home. She's had a lot of fight in her since day one and I'll be moving her to solitary after dark for a couple of weeks. Maybe I'm being overly protective of Ichabod but he's far too sweet to have to put up with that and even the two RSLs, even at their worst, aren't that bad. If solitary doesn't resolve this issue, I think I'm left with just one option unfortunately but rehoming her to be a problem for someone else isn't okay with me.

I'll also be able to tell how severe these issues may be amidst the other three once the meanie has been removed. I have a feeling they'll be a lot calmer without her.

Your current birds might kick her butt and put her in her place too.
Was she just a very good aim to bleed him thru her fence........or did he stand still for it??

 

[islandgirl82]

He was standing beside their run and she reached through and got him but he headed for me as soon as he saw me. Some bits of his comb are now missing. I did however, take your advice and let them all out. For the most part, everyone is fairly peaceful; much more so than I had anticipated. There have been just a few minor spars and Ichabod is quick to break them up. He's also keeping the older girls together where he can see them all at once whilst he keeps an eye on the pullets who aren't acting so tough now that the barrier is gone. Maybe that pullet was reacting out of feeling cornered. The feather picking is still an issue and I won't be moving any of the pullets except for the most passive one into the main coop until it stops and the most dominant will still be going into her own coop for a while, at least at night.