Intergrating flocks with multiple roosters involved PLEASE HELP!!!!!

[Ventura974]

Greetings friends,

Just recently we picked up a new flock of chickens from someone that lived in the city. They came to find out that their city ordinance did not allow chickens in their area. We live in the country and have plenty of room. Right now I have the new flock in my chicken tractor right next to the main chicken coop so the chickens can look at each other and get to know each other before I integrate them. The main chicken coop has 5 EE and a Black Star hen and an Americauna rooster. The new flock has 4 EE, 4 Banties, & a BB Red Bantam rooster. My question is once I get ready to mix both flocks would it be ok for both rooster to be in the same coop/run. I mean my Americauna rooster is like three times the size of the other one and I would be afraid that he would kill him. Is there a pecking order among roosters like there is among hens when there isn't a rooster around? Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

Sincerely,
Ralph Ventura
Eastford, CT

 

[Beekissed]

The question is, how will your banty hens survive the matings of your larger, heavier EE roo? Do you really need roos? Are you wishing to have chicks? If not, I'd eliminate both roos and live in peace. If so, I'd keep your banty roo, for the sake of all hens in question, and get rid of the EE roo. Depending on the spark in your banty roo, he may just hold his own against the larger and already established flock leader, EE.....but I'd be more worried about the wear and tear on your little banty hens. You only need one roo for 14 hens....any more than that and you will have barebacked hens.

 

[mstricer]

The bantam will rule the roost, they are like Chihuahua, my Porcelain moved into my main layer coop on its own and took over, he is in love with an EE pullet that I moved their. As for the bigger rooster mounting the bantams, I've never had that problem, I think the bigger roo's view them as chicks. But I could be wrong maybe others might have different experiences.

 

[Blue]

I've had bantam roosters and hens in with standard roosters and hens, and I've never had a problem with the larger roosters trying to mate the bantams. I have, however, had the reverse of the tiny roosters trying to mate the big girls. A lot will depend on the temperament of the roosters, but it's possible that the bantam and standard roosters will work out their own pecking order and get along fine. I have an OEGB roo and a brabanter roo that grew up together, and they've gotten along fine so far. The OEGB roo has one bantam hen, and the brabanter rooster has never shown any interest in her. One of the 11 week old standard cochin cockerels from the flock they share a run with did try to jump her one day, but I grabbed his back feathers and removed him, and I haven't noticed it happening any more.

In the past, my family had another pair of OEGBs that stayed in with the standards, including a rooster, and that standard rooster also never showed an interest in the tiny hen; he even let the little rooster have one of his smallish standard hens to romance, and those roosters would sit right next to each other on the flower bed fence and practice crowing in unison. It was adorable; we called the OEGB Mini-me because he looked just like the bigger rooster (both were silver duckwings).

I agree that the bantams may rule the roost. In my experience, OEGBs are some of the bossiest chickens around when it comes to other chickens, or even other animals, which doesn't always work out for the best; I used to have an OEGB hen that would run up and peck my dog on the nose when he bothered her. She disappeared while out free-ranging one day, and I often wonder if she didn't try to do the same thing to some neighborhood dog that wandered by instead of running away

. At any rate, they're definitely scrappy!

My OEGBs have also been some of my friendliest chickens and have had great luck wheedling their way into my heart to achieve pet status.

 

[Beekissed]

Well, a person learns something new every day!

I never raised banties, so I didn't know that roos were selective as to size of birds....I've had monster roos breed my smallest hens and it looked like a watermelon balanced on an apple.

So....guess you could keep both roos and just see how it plays out, huh?

 

[Blue]

Quote:
That's how all of my bantam vs. standard experiences have been so far, but I'm sure that there are some big roosters who may not be so picky about hen size. In the case of the cochin cockerel, I think he's just young, stupid, and was going more for a dominance play than a mating one. I integrated the two flocks a couple weeks ago, and while there have been no major issues so far, there has been a bit of chasing, pecking, and posturing among both the hens and roosters. The fact that both flocks are very young (11 weeks and around 23 weeks) probably helped with the integration as well.

lol! I had the reverse of your image with a tiny RIR bantam looking like an apple balancing on a watermelon when going after a buff Orp. hen. It was funny because the first time he caught her, she did the squat, and he just stood there on her back looking confused. He'd only been around bantam hens before, so I guess he was trying to work out the logistics.

To the OP, if it were me, I'd go with what Beekissed suggested here and just watch them to see how they get along. Most of the problems I've encountered with roosters have been between roosters of roughly the same size. I've had great luck with bantam and standard rooster teams, even when the two roosters weren't raised together.

 

[Ventura974]

Well thanks for all the suggestions yall. Right now both flocks are about the same age so it shouldn't be too hard to integrate them. My main concern was the roos. I will give them a couple of more days in their separate coop areas so they can stare at each other and then move the new flock in before the end of the week. Last time I tried adding to the flock I added the new hens after dark well that was a mistake cause about a week later I ended up losing one of my Amerecaunas. Poor little hen got pecked in the face and was missing an eye when I found her. She was still alive tho so I ended up having to butcher her along with the rooster that I was already taking care of that day. I will keep yall posted and let you know what happens when the integration occurs.