Introducing A Rooster

[Jenwisp]

We have a flock of 12 pullets, half are 12 weeks, half are 8 weeks. Recently, I adopted a young rooster to watch over/protect the flock/give him a home. He was probably 3rd rooster down on the roster at his original home. He's now 18 weeks and keeps trying to mount everyone. They've never encountered this behavior before, with the neck biting and jumping. Most of them avoid him or scream bloody murder when he tries it. We've had to keep him separate.

He's not a bad guy, when we give him a treat he sets it down and looks around calling. From what I've read, seems he is trying to share. He calls warnings. He was patiently letting them bite and peck his comb and wattles when first introduced.

I'm feeling like I am dealing with a combination of inexperienced everyone and age difference. He hasn't learned an extra touch of being a gentleman and has raging teen hormones... they've never seen a man before and haven't started laying yet. ( and the 8 weekers i worry more about with the size difference, but I have read they should have a place to hide from him if need be ).

Any idea when it will be "safer" to let him mingle?

Oh we also have 5 ducks but they don't seem to care about each him and vice versa.

 

[sourland]

He's a horny teenager, and the pullets are not ready for his advances. I'd keep him with the ducks until the pullets come into lay.

 

[Jenwisp]

They are ISA Browns. I've read they usually lay around 16 weeks. Will they be big enough?

 

[aart]

They are ISA Browns. I've read they usually lay around 16 weeks. Will they be big enough?

It's not abut 'big' enough it's about being sexually mature.
A 'good' cock/erel will not try to mount a pullet that is not laying.
Rare to find that in a young cockerel.
The screaming bloody murder is common even if the girls are not actually being 'hurt',
even receptive hens will do that at times.
As long as he is not chasing them down incessantly, you might leave him in with them.
They need to be able to get away from his advances to eat/drink/rest.
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.
He may also just be trying to dominate in the pecking order.
How did you introduce him?

 

[Jenwisp]

So far if one spurns his advances, he will move on with his business. Scratching the ground, eating, drinking. He isn't chasing them at all.

The coop is 8x6 and 5-6 feet in height. The run is 12 x 8 and 5-6 feet high.

We had him in a fenced area in sight of their run for a week. Then I put him in with them one night at bedtime. He seemed too eager to either dominate or mate, and they seemed too afraid so we took him out. He spent another week in his own fenced area during the day. Today, I moved his fenced area right alongside the run. They saw him for a full 10 hours and could talk through the fence. That's how we acquainted the older ISA's with the younger batch. It seemed to work because when we tried tonight to mingle him into the run, they acted like he had always been there. He's still tried once or twice with a couple, but they move away and like I said, he goes back to what he was doing. The ones he "attempts" don't seem that bothered by it anymore. My really chill EE was back to dirt bathing almost instantly. She even turned her back on him to eat. ( She has always been super calm. I may call her Fonzy eventually )

 

[Jenwisp]

@aart
"A 'good' cock/erel will not try to mount a pullet that is not laying.
Rare to find that in a young cockerel. "

Are you saying his behavior is rare, that he keeps trying- or that a young cockerel that doesn't try to mount a non-layer is rare?

Do you think it is a dominance thing instead?

 

[aart]

He's still tried once or twice with a couple, but they move away and like I said, he goes back to what he was doing.

That's a good sign....and somewhat rare.
Usually young cockerels are relentless in their pursuit.

 

[Jenwisp]

Well, we have 12 pullets, so plenty to choose from and no competition. He came from a flock with 2 other roosters and he was the low man on that totem pole. He's a speckled sussex and he was pretty calm with us from the start.

Are they relentless with non-layers usually? He is our first rooster.