Introducing New Birds...and a Rooster

[Mrs. K]

Has your established flock ever had chicks before? Every year, I add chicks, and while I do not over estimate what a chicken can remember, my flock takes to chicks pretty well. The sooner you get them in with the established flock the better. In my experience, the chicks will act like a sub flock until the pullets begin to lay, and then they will be one flock.

There is a lot to growing up in a multi-generational flock, chicks learn correct chicken society. The young rooster will be schooled by bigger birds, and often times it will work out as long as you do have enough space.

However, with two roosters, it can go south in practically an instant. It may never happen, it may only happen once, they may appear to settle it, only to have it break out again later, or it may be a very vicious battle ongoing. If you have two roosters, you need a plan B on how to separate them already set up. Maybe you will never need it. If you do, you are ready.

They are animals, and it is pretty hard to estimate how it will go. Your hens may get pretty ragged with two roosters to only 9 hens.

Wishing they all get along, does not really work. When you add birds, you almost always need to cull birds too.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Ditto everything Mrs. K said!!

Especially this....

my flock takes to chicks pretty well. The sooner you get them in with the established flock the better.

I've found integrating chicks very young is the easiest way to go, some work ahead of time to get it setup, but much less chaos in the long run. Brood them from week 1 in the coop behind a barrier, then start integration at about 4 weeks.
Here's how I do it, lattice can work instead of building 'tiny doors'.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/