Introducing large rooster

[Ambernjimmy09]

Hello. A little info about us. We have a flock of 16 chickens. Which includes 6 ISA browns, 2 wyandottes, 3 large Brahma, 2 bantam brahma, 1 jubilee Orpington and 2 turkens. All are about 3 months old. We built a new coop and run and I would like to move our English Orpington roo and hen (1 yr old)to the the rest of the flock. He is very large. They were next to each other in a see but no touch enclosure for a few weeks. Would it be safe to move them in now? One of the bantam Brahma is a rooster as well. Not sure if that matters.

 

[Chickassan]

Go ahead, he's mature he will be in heaven with those ladies. Keep watch to make sure they don't beat him up but I bet they'll be happy to have him. Your little rooster might not like the competetion so make sure he's ok too. He should not try to breed the pullets yet, but if he gets too randy and pushy you'll have to step in. Your mature hen will also have a great time bossing those preteens around, again if she gets too bossy and draws blood you'll have to step in. Good luck.

 

[Ambernjimmy09]

Go ahead, he's mature he will be in heaven with those ladies. Keep watch to make sure they don't beat him up but I bet they'll be happy to have him. Your little rooster might not like the competetion so make sure he's ok too. He should not try to breed the pullets yet, but if he gets too randy and pushy you'll have to step in. Your mature hen will also have a great time bossing those preteens around, again if she gets too bossy and draws blood you'll have to step in. Good luck.

Thank you! I have another 13 inside the brooder now as well. I'm ready to have them all outside but waiting and trying to make all transitions as easily and non stressful as possible lol.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

I would try it.But supervise.Even though he is mature he may still try and and mate them although it is very unlikely,they both will likely peck at them a bit,they may try to fight one another but that’s also very unlikely,escpecially with the difference in age.

 

[RWise]

A concern I see is a very pretty and large rooster with those little bantam pullets/hens, he can/will hurt them trying to mate them. The bantam rooster should be fine,

 

[TheTwoRoos]

No not really.I have two bantams who get bred by a seven pound roosters,have had him and a bantam hen for three years now and nothing.

A concern I see is a very pretty and large rooster with those little bantam pullets/hens, he can/will hurt them trying to mate them. The bantam rooster should be fine,

 

[techbsmith]

I've been integrating 13 chicks with my existing flock of 5 birds for about 2 weeks now. I have a small pre-fab coop inside of my main fully enclosed run that's considered to be the "big girls" domain. The first week was "see, but no touch" so they could get used to the idea of the new chicks.

The second week, I made a door that only the chicks can get through and modified the mini-coop a bit so the young ones can go in/out as they want. For at least 3 days, I only had it open for them to get out while I could sit inside the run and supervise the mingling. After I was certain the chicks had plenty of places to hide and knew how to get in/out I left the modifications in place so they can come and go as they please.

The little cockerels were the first ones out..of course. Some of the pullets have become quite adventurous - especially my dark brahma. When I let the big girls out of the enclosed run and into an extended portable run for some free-ranging, the chicks get VERY adventurous.

Some key things - have multiple feed and water stations. Have lots of places the chicks can hide or dart around to get out of site of the bigger girls. A lot of aggression comes up over resources - with my setup, the chicks have their own water/feed stations in the mini-coop. In the main run, there are multiple feed/water stations as well so there's little perception of not being enough.

They will get bossed around by the big girls, but as long as no one is doing beat downs or lots of blood, it'll be fine. Good luck!

 

[aart]

Even though he is mature he may still try and and mate them although it is very unlikely

This will be the litmus test.....if he does try to breed them, he's not a good cockbird as he should know they are immature and leave them alone for the most part.

Thank you! I have another 13 inside the brooder now as well. I'm ready to have them all outside but waiting and trying to make all transitions as easily and non stressful as possible lol.

I hope you have lots of space and the ability to separate if necessary.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

I’d hes mature then he should be fine. He’s a pretty boy!