Introducing a rooster

[Joeschooks]

I’m introducing 3 Lavender Araucana that I’ve hatched to my flock; two hens and one cockerel. All are 11 weeks old.

The three Araucana “chicks” are in their own coop and run which is within the large run used by my hens. This is mainly so that they can get used to each other but also for predator protection as the large run is electrified. My plan was to pop the newbies on the roost with the hens at night when they are about 14 weeks old. BUT today one of the hens sneaked in the little run when I was feeding the youngsters. The 11 week old cockerel attacked the hen and would not let go of her comb (the cockerel is a similar size to the hen). I've introduced hens before but never a cockerel...I am familiar with a few hackles going up and a bit of jumping around but this looked quite vicious. Thankfully I managed to separate them quickly and no blood was drawn.

There's me concerned that the youngsters would get picked on yet it's my hen who got attacked! Could this be because she was on "his" territory. Should I be concerned for the proper introduction or is this quite normal?

 

[Lazy Farmer]

There's me concerned for the youngsters and it's my hen who got attacked. Could this be because she was on "his" territory. Should I be concerned for the proper introduction or is this quite normal?

Turf invasion. It takes time before the original birds to adjust to new comers.

 

[Joeschooks]

Turf invasion. It takes time before the original birds to adjust to new comers.

Thanks Connie. I don’t just have a particularly violent rooster then? Since his fight he’s decided he’s going to try his first crow... and his second, and his third... and his tenth!! At 11 weeks old

 

[Folly's place]

He's being an adolescent male, and she's an adult, and not impressed. He will learn! Nobody injured, it's fine. Giving everyone plenty of space and multiple feeders and waterers will have the issues worked out over time. Some spats will happen, to be expected.
Mary

 

[Joeschooks]

He's being an adolescent male, and she's an adult, and not impressed. He will learn! Nobody injured, it's fine. Giving everyone plenty of space and multiple feeders and waterers will have the issues worked out over time. Some spats will happen, to be expected.
Mary

Thank you Mary. I will make sure there’s an extra feeder and drinker out when I do the proper introduction

 

[aart]

My plan was to pop the newbies on the roost with the hens at night when they are about 14 weeks old.

Yeah, that's not always rarely a good idea.
Theoretically, they won't notice more and new birds in the morning...but...
Like bobbie-j sez: "chickens aren't the brightest animals on this planet, but they're not that stupid."

Tho I see on your coop page you are building a new and larger coop, you could try to put them all in there at once....new territory=nothing to defend.

You've probably seen these before, but.....
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.


FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

 

[Trish1974]

@Joeschooks I followed aart's step by step integration process for my cockerel and it went smooth as silk.

 

[Joeschooks]

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Tho I see on your coop page you are building a new and larger coop, you could try to put them all in there at once....new territory=nothing to defend.

Good suggestion but I finished my new coop a few weeks ago and the girls have settled in.

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.

Yeah, thats what I'm doing. I plan to keep the newbies in the little coop and run for about three weeks and I have been feeding them meal worms and scratch by throwing some through the mesh. Here's a pic of my set up with the temporary Araucana coop... They are all in there, somewhere

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.

Thank you, I'll make sure I implement all these suggestions.

After the three weeks of being separated by the mesh if it's not a good idea to put the newbies on the roost, should I just open the door of the newbies' coop and let them mingle? I guess the advantage of this over putting them on the roost is that I would be there to supervise if things did get especially nasty, although I note your comments about trying not to interfere

Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).

Sorry, yes I meant pullets in that first sentence rather than hens, but the rest is correct. Will see if I can edit

 

[aart]

should I just open the door of the newbies' coop and let them mingle?

That's what I'd do.
If there's too much trouble,
I'd lock up the old birds in the small coop/run,
and give the new birds the run of the run and the big coop for a day or two or three or....

 

[Joeschooks]

That's what I'd do.
If there's too much trouble,
I'd lock up the old birds in the small coop/run,
and give the new birds the run of the run and the big coop for a day or two or three or....

Thank you aart. I wouldn’t have thought of swapping them over