Introducing a new rooster to an all hen flock.

[midget_farms]

I added an americana rooster - great big guy - to my flock last week.

The top hen jumped up & slapped him good.

But - he wasn't one to give up w/o a fight so they went around for a day or so. Nothing serious but definatly not marrital bliss.

Well - its been a week now & he is the boss.

I got upset with him chasing one hen & went in & grabbed him up. Then held him on his back for a couple minutes all the while explainig that I was the boss.

The funny thing was when I let go of him - he stayed right there flat on his back on the ground! not only after I let go, but I walked around the pen for several minutes & he watched me but didn't get up.

I then left the pen & he kept watching me - but didnt' get up until after I was out of sight of the pen. I laughed my butt off.

I guess we know who is the real boss in that pen.

 

[teach1rusl]

Tried a young EE rooster with my girls over a year ago. They beat up on him for over a week, at which time he began asserting himself. It wasn't pretty. A few weeks later, I had still had one girl who would hide in the coop to avoid him, and he kept bloodying the comb of my BO, because she wouldn't submit to him. So he had to go.
Last summer we tried a different rooster, a two year old mille fleur d'uccle - tiny little guy. There was 5 minutes of chest butting between him and my lead hen, and a challenge from my 2nd in command GLW, and it was done. He was in charge and they ALL excepted him.
I hope your flock accepts your SF, because they sure are pretty birds. My guess is that he will get picked on quite a bit at first, so keep an eye on him. But I bet they'll accept him within a few weeks.

 

[WhetzelMomma]

My hens literally SWOONED over the rooster I got for them.

 

[slsexton]

Last night we introduced an Americana Roo into our flock of 8 hens (three Orpingtons, a Wynadotte, two Americana's a sexlink and a RIR) There was much fussing and fighting. One of the Orpingtons lost a chuck out of her waddle. This morning they seem fine.

 

[ChickenSahib]

Sigh... Y'all are lucky to even be able to keep roos!

 

[Tressa27884]

I recently threw two roosters into my flock. The two boys had been together and they were low men on the totem poll at their house, Dixie and Blue [hen 1 and 2] gave the boys a hard time for about fifteen minutes; I stayed in the run to make sure everything was going to be ok, then everybody settled down. I have 14 hens and two roosters, everybody gets along well.

My hens; Buff Brahma [Dixie Chick], Blue Langsham [Blue], black Frizzle Bantam [Prima], EE x2 [Olive & Oil], Production Red [Riding Hood], Mutt [Zelda], Black Cochin x2 [Abbey and Little], Barred Cochin [Biker], SLW [Tiffany], Silkie Bantam [Caroline], White Crested Black Polish [Cotton] - crap I'm forgetting one......

My roosters; Black Cochin [Puff], and EE [Gregory Peck]

I also have a little buck rabbit [Pippin] who thinks he's a roo. He rounds the hens up at night, and he was the biggest challenger to the roo's settling in - they were terrified of him! I say this, because a lot of how everybody settles in is dependent on the temperament of the flock. Watch and be aware of how everybody is doing, expect there may be a bit of bloodshed, sit back and don't interfere unless somebody is getting really hurt and all should be fine.

Good luck.

 

[newbuffman]

I have a orpington hen and im introducing a young game roo he is in a pen for now do you think ill run into any problems

 

[Turtles Mommy]

Can I add to this? I also have a young rooster, got him as a baby, and have had him now for a couple of months, closer to 3 mos. I kept him quarantined, now he is in a large dog kennel
but in the coop with the girls. When I let them roam outside of the pen, they do ok, they don't bother him too much. When I let him go in the pen and coop with them, they do chase and pick on him. He is roughly half their size right now. I would call him a teenager, lol. I tried it out last weekend to let him be with them unsupervised and he ended up getting chased and got stuck between two of my nests (made from 5 gal buckets) and not being able to get out. When I went to check on him, I couldn't find him and he was stuck there for a few hours before I did find him. He was very hard to see in there and the slickness of the plastic did not allow him to get a foothold to get out. How long should I wait to let him out? I know he is sick of the kennel, but there are 8 adult girls and him.

 

[bobbi-j]

I'd wait until he's closer to their size. No matter when you let him out with them, there will be chasing and pecking as they will be establishing their pecking order, but he'll be able to handle it better if he's closer to their size.

 

[Turtles Mommy]

I'd wait until he's closer to their size. No matter when you let him out with them, there will be chasing and pecking as they will be establishing their pecking order, but he'll be able to handle it better if he's closer to their size. 

Well, he "insisted" I let him out, lol. He is now just a bit smaller than the smallest hen and he has his routine. He still gets chased but handles it and spends a lot of time on the roost above the girls so as to not be on their radar, lol. He has been out for a few days now and seems to be just fine. Thanks for your help!