Introducing New ROO to 5 hens

[Little Chicken Farmers]

I had to "whack" the BO Rooster that we had

(RIP Scramble), because he was attacking my kids....and visitors kids....that had to come to an end. A nice lady (from BYC) is giving me a 2 yr old RIR Roo...who is supposed to be very nice. I have 5 hens, about 20 wks old (not laying yet) (RIR, Buff Orph, and Silver Wyandotte)

Any suggestions on how to introduce them? Mine Free Range so no fenced in yard, they do have a house they are locked in to at night. I was thinking of putting him in a wire cage by the chicken house where they could check him out all afternoon then put him in the house with them at night? Then just turn them all loose in the AM ??

Thanks for any advice!!!

 

[Little Chicken Farmers]

Nothing ???

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Sorry I can't help.... I was gonna ask a similar question. I need to introduce ten 6 week old chicks to three 16 week olds inc one roo. I have been told I should wait until the chicks are 16 weeks, but space does not allow me two full size coops.... So, I too would greatly appreciate the advice!

 

[Little Chicken Farmers]

Tell me about it!!! I am picking up my new Roo in a few hours!! Hopefully my plan will work. 6 weeks sounds pretty young to put in with 16 week-ers.....can you divide your coop in half somehow with wire maybe???

 

[chickenbike]

I too will be introducing a new rooster to 4 girls. Any advice would be great.

 

[cyanne]

I think your plan sounds pretty sensible. Just put him somewhere that he can be seen but is still separate. Letting him go in the morning or putting him in after everyone has gone to sleep and letting them wake up together is a good idea, too.

Just be sure to watch and make sure that the pecking order fights don't get too out of hand. If it does, just keep him in the separation cage where they can see but not touch for a little while longer.

 

[Jenski]

Many of the experienced folks in the forum strongly recommend QUARANTINE for new chickens coming into your flock ~ usually 30 days.

cyanne's plan for the "release" sounds good.

Good luck!

 

[snowydiamonds]

I just did what you are thinking, w/Brewster the BO roo and my 8 RIR hens who have had their first year of laying. Brewster is very happy and now the ladies are, too. It didn't go so well with their intended roo, Randy so he's w/younger girls until he can handle the big ladies...he needs a bit of time to mature first.

Brewster went to bed in the coop the first night, I closed them in, they woke up together, he made friends w/and mated Curly Sue first, they spent the day sitting and laying together, then the second night, he was up roosting for bed w/all the dominate girls.

He waited the third morning for dominate Beauty to come out, she waited for him to go away but he wouldn't leave the door of the coop so she finally had to give in and get to know him.

She still hasn't allowed him to mate her but she's wanting to be broody so I keep telling her if she want to set those eggs, she's gonna have to lower herself and give up her freedom and take that rooster man...

So far, no squabbles and happiness reins but the wrong breed roo...

So much for purebred but I still have high hopes it'll all work out as planned, just need to make sure we eat all the mixed breed eggs and not allow any hatching!
(Not worried about quarantine because I have owned all mine from tiny chicks but if I was taking in any from others, I look at how they are housed, signs of infestation or health problems, etc., before I let any in w/mine and suggest vice versa if I ever let any of mine go -which I haven't so far.)

 

[cyanne]

Oh, yeah, I strongly second the recommendation to quarantine. Even if the bird looks healthy, it's better to be safe than sorry.

I bought a couple of 7 wk old chicks at a get-together, and they ended up having a respiratory infection that killed one of them. Thankfully I had not put them in with the rest of my birds and I was able to treat and save the remaining chick.

There are plenty of people on this forum who could share horror stories of infected birds bringing diseases into their flock and costing them money, time, and heartache. It just makes sense to separate new birds for a while.

Then comes the fun part of introductions.

Good luck!

 

[Little Chicken Farmers]

Ok forgive me..... I am new to chickens.... How long should I quarintine? I dont really have anywhere to keep him other than in a wire rabbit cage. My girls are going up to the cage and checking him out....beak to beak so to speak.... What kinds of probelms would I be looking for? He seems to be a very good looking healthy bird. Makes sense though.... I have horses and I usually keep them seperate for a couple weeks...