Integrating a rooster to my flock

[Redheadhomestead]

I’m sure this has been covered as this website is vast in knowledge but I’m in a time crunch to respond to a free rooster and am looking for some quick advice


I have six 8 month old layers and 8 pullets that are about 12 weeks. Total flock of 14 we are gonna do some more free range grazing and wanted to add some protection from air (hawks) my friend has a 14 week on rooster I can have. My question is what’s the integration process for a mostly developed rooster into a half laying half 12 week old flock.

I’ve historically always added hens via the see don’t touch method by putting an enclosure inside their run so they get to know. It always ends up being a huge hassle would that be required here? Thanks in advance!

 

[Tonyroo]

That cockerel will be to young for your intentions with it. It takes a year or more for that to happen depending on the cockerel.

But since he's young you don't necessarily have to do the see no touch method but he might need his own sleeping quarters. So the older hens don't tear him to pieces.

 

[Ridgerunner]

He's not a rooster yet, he's still an immature cockerel. That complicates it, a mature rooster would be less unsure as to what would probably happen.

Several different things might happen. One is that the integration might go extremely easily. If you have enough room it often does. You generally just read about the horror stories on here. The older girls might beat the crap out of him, especially the dominant hen. I'm not sure what state his hormones are in, those typically kick in around 15 weeks but can start as early as 12 weeks or maybe not until after 5 months. When his hormones kick in he may try to force mate the hens. They may fight back or may just run from him. If they run he may let them go or he may chase them down and force mate them. A mature rooster should not bother those young pullets until they are ready to lay eggs. By that time they are ready to mate. I don't know how an immature cockerel will treat them.

I don't know how many coops and runs you have, how they are tied together, or where they now sleep. Some people would just turn him loose with the flock and see what happens. If you have a lot of room that often works. With my set-up I'd probably try something like that. If you free range one risk is that he will not join the others but will run off or maybe sleep in a tree. You can try housing him in an enclosure where they can all see him for a week before you turn him loose. That might help the others to accept him and could teach him a good place to sleep. In any case, observe what happens and base your actions on what you see.

I had one cockerel become flock master to a flock of mature hens and immature pullets at five months. I've had one take close to a year to do that. Most of my cockerels take over the flock around 7 months but that can really vary. Some of that depends on his personality but the personality of the hens, especially the dominant hen, has a lot to do with that too. I've never had one take over a year to take over the flock but I don't doubt that some people have.

I imagine when they free range, your two different age groups probably don't hang together. Mine don't, they form sub-flocks by age and stay separate. Some can even form cliques that branch off even more. I would not expect one rooster won't keep them all together. I don't have the faith that a lot of people on here do that a rooster provides that much protection. They can be a lookout to warn of danger, usually this applies to something flying overhead. Many dominant hens do pretty good at that too. If something suspicious is going on many roosters will put themselves between the flock and whatever that is to check it out so there is some protection there. But in the predator attacks I've had the rooster has never been scratched or lost a feather. Once a real danger is identified mine lead their flock to safety instead of fighting a rear guard action so they can escape.

I personally would not have a rooster just for protection but many people on this forum do. If you decide on a rooster I'd want a mature one past the hormonal stage of a cockerel. Then you could just turn him loose with the flock and expect very little, if any, drama.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

Because of his young age, I would put him in a cage in the coop so they can see him but not hurt him. he is not hormonal enough yet for the hens to respect him and they could hurt or kill him. Unfortunately it happens- chickens can be mean as hell.

 

[Redheadhomestead]

He's not a rooster yet, he's still an immature cockerel. That complicates it, a mature rooster would be less unsure as to what would probably happen.

Several different things might happen. One is that the integration might go extremely easily. If you have enough room it often does. You generally just read about the horror stories on here. The older girls might beat the crap out of him, especially the dominant hen. I'm not sure what state his hormones are in, those typically kick in around 15 weeks but can start as early as 12 weeks or maybe not until after 5 months. When his hormones kick in he may try to force mate the hens. They may fight back or may just run from him. If they run he may let them go or he may chase them down and force mate them. A mature rooster should not bother those young pullets until they are ready to lay eggs. By that time they are ready to mate. I don't know how an immature cockerel will treat them.

I don't know how many coops and runs you have, how they are tied together, or where they now sleep. Some people would just turn him loose with the flock and see what happens. If you have a lot of room that often works. With my set-up I'd probably try something like that. If you free range one risk is that he will not join the others but will run off or maybe sleep in a tree. You can try housing him in an enclosure where they can all see him for a week before you turn him loose. That might help the others to accept him and could teach him a good place to sleep. In any case, observe what happens and base your actions on what you see.

I had one cockerel become flock master to a flock of mature hens and immature pullets at five months. I've had one take close to a year to do that. Most of my cockerels take over the flock around 7 months but that can really vary. Some of that depends on his personality but the personality of the hens, especially the dominant hen, has a lot to do with that too. I've never had one take over a year to take over the flock but I don't doubt that some people have.

I imagine when they free range, your two different age groups probably don't hang together. Mine don't, they form sub-flocks by age and stay separate. Some can even form cliques that branch off even more. I would not expect one rooster won't keep them all together. I don't have the faith that a lot of people on here do that a rooster provides that much protection. They can be a lookout to warn of danger, usually this applies to something flying overhead. Many dominant hens do pretty good at that too. If something suspicious is going on many roosters will put themselves between the flock and whatever that is to check it out so there is some protection there. But in the predator attacks I've had the rooster has never been scratched or lost a feather. Once a real danger is identified mine lead their flock to safety instead of fighting a rear guard action so they can escape.

I personally would not have a rooster just for protection but many people on this forum do. If you decide on a rooster I'd want a mature one past the hormonal stage of a cockerel. Then you could just turn him loose with the flock and expect very little, if any, drama.

What an amazing and comprehensive point of view thank you for taking the time to share all that!

 

[injeniera]

I have a similar issue here... the other way around

I have a run and coop with a 3 m/o male turkey, a 4 m/o cockerel, two 4 m/o chicks and seven 18 m/o laying hens. We took a while to get the young ones to meet the hens but it's worked so far, the cockerel was very young so he never abused the girls, and the hens are very easy going.

A week ago we received 2 new packs: fifteen 15 w/o chicks and eighteen 8 w/o. They are living in the same run with separations for the flock and each group, so: the see no touch method. We've tried to get them together and the hens and chicks will peck to establish pecking order, the usual, and the younger ones get to run away. BUT!! The cockerel starts trying to mate and the young chicks try to run away... but he's very intense and they run away to their little corner, so we close it again.

Would you guys keep him appart from the rest of the flock? Would you keep trying to get them together? I believe that the hens will accept the chicks much easier than this little guy.

PS: on the other hand I have anocher run for 1 hen and 1 rooster that we'd love to mix with the others.

 

[Tonyroo]

Young cockerels don't know better, so if you see him doing unwanted behavior you need to move him.