Introducing a 2.5 year old hen to a young rooster

[featheredplanets]

First off congratulations on your new rooster. You might want to try getting him a rooster or at least 3-5 hens. @RoostersAreAwesome knows all about rooster flocks.

Isn't the ratio 1:8? Or at least 6 hens? I think a cockerel flock would be the best if one can't have too many hens. Not really an expert though so I'm not sure

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I thought that the ratio was 1 rooster for every 10 hens. Sometimes it’s more sometimes it’s less depends on the rooster.

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

it's really all over the place depending on breed, Area, coop bound or free range. If you want chicks and a good hatch rate no more than 10. For the hens sake I would keep no less than 3-6. When I started I had one hen and one rooster. Poor girl..here she is with her saddle on.

I want ever do that again.

 

[aart]

I really know nothing about chickens. But I want to give this poor rooster a good life!

They might get along OK......it might be a bloodbath.
He might be better off at a place with more birds.
You might be better off with just the cockbird as a pet.
Adding birds is not to be taken lightly, it can be brutal.
Do you have a coop and run?

Here's some tips and links about integrating new birds.
Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
BYC 'quarantine' search

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

Isn't the ratio 1:8?

The 'rooster' to hen ratio of 1:10 that is often cited is primarily for fertility efficiency in commercial breeding facilities.
It doesn't mean that if a cockbird has 10 hens that he won't abuse or over mate them.
Many breeders keep pairs, trios, quads, etc
It all depends on the temperaments of the cock and hens and sometimes housing provided.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

The amount of hens you can keep with a rooster really depends on the rooster's personality. Most say between 6-12 hens for every rooster. Sometimes, the rooster will be fine with 1 or 2, but again it depends on the rooster. If he was mine, I would simply get him another rooster or two to keep him company instead. If you do decide to get him a single hen companion, you should be prepared to get him more hens in the future.

If you do want to try giving him a rooster companion instead, you should read this article I wrote: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/rooster-flocks.72998/