Introducing new 3 new hens to a lonely rooster, help please!

[Cane Toad]

Omelette my frizzle rooster, has been on his own for a day. My aunt was going to get me a few hens and chicks, but at the last minute she couldn't. Tomorrow, i am going to pick up 3 young bantam hens in a hope they will make perfect companions for my lonely buddy. 2 of the are pekins and one is a silkie cross with a naked neck. I am really wondering what the best way to introduce them would be. I was speaking to the guy and all the hens have been wormed, and vaccinated. So i am not worried about them passing on disease. Of course tomorrow I'll give them a check over for anything strange.

What is the best way to introduce Omelette to my new hens? I was thinking maybe i could run some chicken wire across the run put the girls on one side and Omelette on the other. Would that work? Only problem is i only have ONE hutch to put ALL the chickens in the night. So I'm am fear full the he might attack them, and kill them.

All you comments will be appreciated!

Thanks

 

[stevetone]

IF you are not going to isolate the newcomers to check for disease (** see note below), I would introduce them all at once, as early in the day as possible. That way they can all get acquainted before being cooped up together (although some will say to sneak them in at night, so that they wake up together--I have my doubts about that method). Also, it would allow you to observe any potential problems and separate them if needed.

Unless the three females have been raised together, it has been my experience that you will have more issues between them than with the male.

The way I figure it, males are geared toward reproducing--why would they intentionally kill their potential mates?

The females, on the other hand, fight until they sort out who's the top hen. This can take a while, so unless there's blood, let it play out as much as possible before stepping in.

Congrats on the new flock!

** If it were me, I would isolate the three new birds to check for disease and parasites for 10-14 days. Not all diseases and parasites can be vaccinated against.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

IF you are not going to isolate the newcomers to check for disease (** see note below), I would introduce them all at once, as early in the day as possible. That way they can all get acquainted before being cooped up together (although some will say to sneak them in at night, so that they wake up together--I have my doubts about that method). Also, it would allow you to observe any potential problems and separate them if needed.

Unless the three females have been raised together, it has been my experience that you will have more issues between them than with the male.

The way I figure it, males are geared toward reproducing--why would they intentionally kill their potential mates?

The females, on the other hand, fight until they sort out who's the top hen. This can take a while, so unless there's blood, let it play out as much as possible before stepping in.

Congrats on the new flock!

** If it were me, I would isolate the three new birds to check for disease and parasites for 10-14 days. Not all diseases and parasites can be vaccinated against.

X2

Just make sure there's lots of room for picked on birds to get away. Also, be prepared to go out very early in the morning, at first light, for a few days, to make sure that they're not all cooped up where a picked-on bird can't get away. A lot of damage can be done before you get there in the morning.

I have snuck birds in at night with good success (getting there early to let them out in the morning) and I've had success just putting new roosters into the flock in the morning. It's much easier introducing roosters than hens, since the roosters won't do much but peck hens really hard a couple of times to let them know who's boss. it's the hens that cause real damage.

 

[Cane Toad]

Thanks guys, this information really hepled. The 3 hens Priscilla, Nugget and Silver has settled in really well with Omelette. There were a few pecks from Om to the girls but that was just to show them who was the boss. Once agian thanks!!!