introducing a new roo

[oldchickenlady]

I have a little flock of 12 soon to be 5 month old chickens, 6 RIR and 6 BO's. I bought them as sexed chicks but of course one of the RIR's turned out to be a roo. I have kept him around to see how he would turn out. I decided if he got mean I would eat him, but if he just irritated me (crowing all the time) I would sell or rehome him. Well, he hasn't done either. I boss him around when I am in the yard (wont let him mate, make him move away from me by following him around, etc), and so far he really only crows for about an hour in the morning. He is still young and learning his roo duties, but he is coming along very well and I am very happy with him. Now to the question. I would like to get some BLRW's or SLW and include a roo with them, maybe a total of 6. If I bring another roo into the mix will they be constantly crowing at each other? There are other roosters that live further down the road from me that he can hear, but he doesn't seem to respond to them. I would like another breed but I don't want to make my fairly quiet peaceful little flock turn into a stud roo contest with lots of drama and noise. I know there are many of you out there that have lots of chickens and multiple roos. Please let me know if I can add another roo without being very sorry! Thanks!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
My roos interacted just like you describe - - - lots of crowing - - - crowing contests. So I got rid of the rest and kept only one roo.
He loves to crow from 5 - 7 in the morning and then no more the rest of the day

He is a good boy with the ladies.

I accidently got a roo in my next order of pullet chicks. I have raised that group with the older roo. The young roo does a little crowing, but he knows to stay out of the big guys way. The little guy is only 4 months old, so I don't know if it will get worse as more hormones start kicking in. He has collected 3 young pullets of his own and they hang out together.

 

[oldchickenlady]

Ok, another question...if I do get another little flock with a roo and house them seperately in their own coop at night and let them free range during the day (with the others) would they kind of stick to their own little group or would they all intermingle? I had thought about alternating who went out to free range. This group today, the other group the next day...any other options that someone has come up with?

 

[CMV]

I integrated 2 flocks this spring into one large flock. They are starting to intermingle, but still have a tendency to stay in their own former groups. I don't know if the group lines will begin to blur after a while.

Your idea of alternating free-range days sounds like a good one.

Good luck.

 

[math ace]

I have two coops that share a common run. The two roos sleep with their chosen girls in the separate coops. During the day, they all free range together. . . . The older bigger roo is alpha and the young much small one has his group of girls and is submissive to the alpha roo.