Introducing a Rooster

[lmathison41]

This is my first question on BYC. I have 4 RIR and 2 silkies. They are 5 weeks old. I thought I wouldn't want a rooster but have fallen in love with my babies and I am wanting to eventually have a few more babies next year. Is it okay to introduce a new rooster to my girls when they are around 12 weeks or older and should it be a full grown rooster or should I get a chick?

 

[junebuggena]

Wait until they are at least 6 months old and laying. One of your Silkies might be a rooster, since they are usually sold as unsexed straight run. If, by 6 months old, they are all clearly female; then start looking for a cockerel. He should be about 4 months old. It will give him to grow up and mature as a lower ranking flock member. The girls will help keep his teenage hormones in check.

 

[lmathison41]

I am hoping that one of the silkies is a male....if the she is a he will it still be okay to get a RIR rooster for my other 4 girls in 6 months?

 

[junebuggena]

Maybe. There's no telling how a standard sized, young cockerel with raging teenage hormones will react to a small, mature Silkie. It could get ugly, or it might be fine. With only 4 hens though, they could get overbred. The general rule is 8 to 10 hens per 1 rooster. If one of the Silkies is a rooster, overbreeding will be less of a problem, and he will still be able to fertilize the RIRs.

 

[lmathison41]

Thanks so much