integrating with a broody hen

[brandonstokley]

these 10 easter Eggers just started laying and im getting ready to integrate them with two hens and a rooster.

one of the hens is broody and has been for a while. how does this effect integration? also trying to get the easter Eggers to use the nest boxes, one or two just started laying two days ago and they are sporadic in placement. would seeing a broody hen in there help teach them?

I recently clipped them as they were getting out or worse, in with the rooster and hens and the rooster tries to kill it. hopefully as they start to lay this will subside and they can be integrated.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

I guess you'll just need to give it a go and see what happens. The more space you can give them during integration the better. If you can hold until all the pullets are laying that may help avoid aggression from your rooster, but maybe not.
Hopefully things settle quickly with just a bit of chasing etc. If you see the rooster really going for them, especially if he targets his pecks to their heads over and over again, seperate right away. In my experience a rooster who has decided to kill a particular hen will not change his mind, but this is a very different situation from general integration aggression and 'sorting things out'.
I would suggest trying a different rooster if it goes wrong, or if you think it might. If the pullets have a bad experience with a rooster they may become afraid of all roosters, and that can create a self perpetuating cycle where they run from and don't submit to a rooster due to fear, and that causes the rooster to become aggressive to them.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Broody hens generally ignore everything and everyone until they get up for their breaks, and then they will beat the crap out of anyone who gets in their way. Hopefully the new pullets are smart enough not to get in the way of the broody and she won't probably care much about them. Is she sitting on eggs you want to hatch though? If so, I wouldn't integrate as there's a risk to her eggs if there's going to be a kerfuffle.
Are you saying the rooster is nasty to them? I wasn't too clear on that point. A rooster shouldn't be overly aggressive to pullets, he should generally just chase them off, not continue to persecute them if they get out of his way. Keep an eye on that.

 

[brandonstokley]

Broody hens generally ignore everything and everyone until they get up for their breaks, and then they will beat the crap out of anyone who gets in their way. Hopefully the new pullets are smart enough not to get in the way of the broody and she won't probably care much about them. Is she sitting on eggs you want to hatch though? If so, I wouldn't integrate as there's a risk to her eggs if there's going to be a kerfuffle.
Are you saying the rooster is nasty to them? I wasn't too clear on that point. A rooster shouldn't be overly aggressive to pullets, he should generally just chase them off, not continue to persecute them if they get out of his way. Keep an eye on that.

no she is not on eggs and yes the rooster is nasty to them. I know he's a jerk but I spent a lot of money on chicks from greenfire and the all turned out to be male and I only have two left so....I may have to switch him out to the other. see what happens. im worried the nasty rooster won't get along in the bachelor pad...which is very likely.