Introducing a new Roo!

[cmeade9]

I have 7 hens, 2 that are about 5 months, 3 that are about 9 months, 1 that’s a year, and 1 that’s a year and a half. This is my first ever flock and they are mix and matched all from different places. However, they all got along throughout winter and they are thriving together. Now that spring is coming around and the weather is warming up, I’ve started letting them free range through the afternoons and evenings and let them put theirselves to bed as I will come out a bit after dark and close up their coop as all the hens are laying between 8-noon usually.

I live on 25 acres of bottom land/fields on the river with a few trees here and there (which my chickens love scratching under and flying up in the low lying pines about 2-3 ft off the ground lol). However, as we don’t really live in close proximity to woodlands, coyotes, raccoons, and other predators aren’t any issues (and if they were I could take care of them) but today as I was cleaning the boat off for the upcoming warm weather, I heard some loud screeching… chicken hawks… my GSP loves chasing birds (those that fly that is) so fortunately she was out with me and ran them off but they stayed close all day. So, I decided I would take a good friend up on him offering me a rooster to protect the flock.

I picked him up this evening after dark. He’s a 1 1/2 yr old Buff Roo. Very docile it seems and a great and beautiful Roo! I’ve watched him grow from a chick so quarantine isn’t needed I assume. I brought him home, swooped him up, and put him in the coop with my other girls. They gave him all kinds of weird looks but they were roosted so they just wanted to go back to sleep it seemed. He acted like he had been here since day one and walked into the coop, hopped up on the roosting bar and everyone settled in like normal.

So now on to my questions…

First and foremost, I am need to chickens (3-4 months of having them) and this is my first Roo, so any and all advice will be greatly appreciated!

- am I doing the right thing by just sticking my Roo with the existing hens? I don’t have another coop to keep him away so I plan to just keep an eye on them. My Rhode Island Red seems to be the dominate hen so as long as she understands he’s the new chief in town, I feel the others will follow as they are all very shy.

- I tried to introduce him at night so they could all roost together and wake up together and everyone is in a mild state of mind. Is that the right move?

- as mentioned above, I let my girls free range from noon until they put theirselves up at night. Will I be able to let my new Roo roam with them tomorrow? Or should I keep him the coop while they free range for a few days? Don’t want him to roam off and not be able to find him or him not be able to find his way back to the coop.

Again, any and all advice would be awesome (even if some things don’t pertain to my questions, I’m all ears. I love learning about my chickens)! I’m new to chickens and BYC so I look forward to meeting everyone and god bless!

 

[EmmaRainboe]

If he seems to be doing well with them then it’s probably fine. But if things start getting heated (the occasional squable is okay [and necessary] to establish the new pecking order) then you could try the see but no touch method.

 

[cmeade9]

If he seems to be doing well with them then it’s probably fine. But if things start getting heated (the occasional squable is okay [and necessary] to establish the new pecking order) then you could try the see but no touch method.

I will keep a close eye on them for a few days. Thank you for the advice!

 

[Folly's place]

Introducing one rooster is the easiest introduction there is, and it's seems to be working for your flock, at least so far.
He'll think he's gone to rooster heaven, and will stick close to his new girls!!! There's no way he will wander off, unless you have a close neighbor with hens he'd like to add to his new flock.
However, he won't be able to fight off very many of the predators who will show up, sooner or later. He should help warn them at least, and will be a handsome addition to your flock!
How about some pictures?
Mary

 

[Ridgerunner]

- am I doing the right thing by just sticking my Roo with the existing hens? I don’t have another coop to keep him away so I plan to just keep an eye on them. My Rhode Island Red seems to be the dominate hen so as long as she understands he’s the new chief in town, I feel the others will follow as they are all very shy.

I agree with Mary, this is usually the easiest integration there is. It doesn't always go well, there is always a chance of a problem anytime you deal with living animals. The girls have something to say about flock dynamics too, it isn't always just the boy. If there are any issues it will probably be with your dominant hen, but often it really is this easy.

- I tried to introduce him at night so they could all roost together and wake up together and everyone is in a mild state of mind. Is that the right move?

Too late now isn't it? What's done is done. I generally don't recommend this method, I prefer mixing them during the day where they have more room to get away if they need to. It doesn't sound like you have a run associated with this coop, putting them in the run together is my preference. With a mature rooster introduced to a flock of mature hens it isn't that horrible but what if your dominant hen and the rooster don't get along? Still, sounds like it worked.

- as mentioned above, I let my girls free range from noon until they put theirselves up at night. Will I be able to let my new Roo roam with them tomorrow? Or should I keep him the coop while they free range for a few days? Don’t want him to roam off and not be able to find him or him not be able to find his way back to the coop.

You don't get guarantees with living animals, about anything can happen. But I'd let him roam with them. Again, I agree with Mary. He's not likely to wander off by himself and the girls are comfortable where they are. I'd fully expect them to show him where to sleep at night. Besides, he's already slept there. He probably knows where to go already.

Photos are always fun but let us know how it goes. I like success stories.

 

[cmeade9]

*UPDATE*

Everything has worked out perfect. The hens love the our new Blue Splashed Ameraucana Roo by the name of ‘Rip’. He’s took control from day one and the hens love him. The kind lady that I got Rip from was lovely and gave me a half year old blue ameraucana as well that we named ‘bloo’. Rip and Bloo have been welcomed in with open wings to the new flock and all the other hens did great with them. In fact, they did so great, we have decided to hatch some ‘Rip x Bloo’ eggs in the coming days along with a dozen silver laced Wyandotte eggs we are getting. A quick thank you to those of you that gave advice. Wouldn’t have had the confidence without you!

We can wait to see what the future holds for our flock but for now, here’s a quick picture I snapped from a video of Mr. Rip helping himself to the low hanging bird feeder along with his sidekick Bloo (background dancers are Milk, Pepper, and Betty from right to left) … never had this problem with the hens… lol. Needless to say I raised it up a foot and he no longer gets treats whenever he wants. Not to be mistaken that they get black soldier fly larvae, oats, and some cracked corn every day we have some happy chickens that come running to anyone that enters their yard for possible treats!

 

[Pandemic pandemonia]

I have 7 hens, 2 that are about 5 months, 3 that are about 9 months, 1 that’s a year, and 1 that’s a year and a half. This is my first ever flock and they are mix and matched all from different places. However, they all got along throughout winter and they are thriving together. Now that spring is coming around and the weather is warming up, I’ve started letting them free range through the afternoons and evenings and let them put theirselves to bed as I will come out a bit after dark and close up their coop as all the hens are laying between 8-noon usually.

I live on 25 acres of bottom land/fields on the river with a few trees here and there (which my chickens love scratching under and flying up in the low lying pines about 2-3 ft off the ground lol). However, as we don’t really live in close proximity to woodlands, coyotes, raccoons, and other predators aren’t any issues (and if they were I could take care of them) but today as I was cleaning the boat off for the upcoming warm weather, I heard some loud screeching… chicken hawks… my GSP loves chasing birds (those that fly that is) so fortunately she was out with me and ran them off but they stayed close all day. So, I decided I would take a good friend up on him offering me a rooster to protect the flock.

I picked him up this evening after dark. He’s a 1 1/2 yr old Buff Roo. Very docile it seems and a great and beautiful Roo! I’ve watched him grow from a chick so quarantine isn’t needed I assume. I brought him home, swooped him up, and put him in the coop with my other girls. They gave him all kinds of weird looks but they were roosted so they just wanted to go back to sleep it seemed. He acted like he had been here since day one and walked into the coop, hopped up on the roosting bar and everyone settled in like normal.

So now on to my questions…

First and foremost, I am need to chickens (3-4 months of having them) and this is my first Roo, so any and all advice will be greatly appreciated!

- am I doing the right thing by just sticking my Roo with the existing hens? I don’t have another coop to keep him away so I plan to just keep an eye on them. My Rhode Island Red seems to be the dominate hen so as long as she understands he’s the new chief in town, I feel the others will follow as they are all very shy.

- I tried to introduce him at night so they could all roost together and wake up together and everyone is in a mild state of mind. Is that the right move?

- as mentioned above, I let my girls free range from noon until they put theirselves up at night. Will I be able to let my new Roo roam with them tomorrow? Or should I keep him the coop while they free range for a few days? Don’t want him to roam off and not be able to find him or him not be able to find his way back to the coop.

Again, any and all advice would be awesome (even if some things don’t pertain to my questions, I’m all ears. I love learning about my chickens)! I’m new to chickens and BYC so I look forward to meeting everyone and god bless!

Just want to warn you that even in the city we do have occasional racoons or someone will have a ferret get loose as well as hawks and loose dogs to watch out for that can kill the chickens.