Introducing new Rooster to flock with no rooster

[Indiana Gallina's]

The Rooster and the Main hen are wanting to fight. Should I split this up or let the pecking order work itself out. They have bloodied each other a little bit today. Any suggestions will help thanks

 

[debilorrah]

You need to keep an eye on them, but the roo is just letting her know she is no longer the boss of everyone, just the other hens!

 

[Indiana Gallina's]

so unless it gets real bad just kinda let nature take its course?

 

[speckledhen]

Yep. They'll work it out soon enough. I did just what you're doing. He put them in their places the first day.

 

[Schultz]

Pretty much but if it gets too bad, I would seperate. I usually introduce new ones by having them within view of each other but in seperate pens for the first couple of weeks. That way they are used to seeing each other and it is not so stressful when they make contact.

 

[wildwitchy]

When i had my cockerel my flock was well established. My top hen libby was in charge & gave him a right run for his money. Intially he got knocked into the pond by her which did his street cred no good at all as he is twice her size.

after a week things settled & she accepted him & she is a changed character - other than attacking the cat given the chance. The other hens were fine, they just took no notice.

I wouldn't worry, they will be ok, even if it looks scary.

 

[roosterjerry]

I had to cull one nasty hen after my girlfriend insisted. After I heard very loud crying coming from the barn/coop and went in to see the roo head buried in the hay with the hen standing on him pecking the back of his head he was crying loudly.He came from a place with three roo's and he was the youngest lowest on the pecking order. It took him two weeks to understand he was in charge. Things went much smoother after I got rid of that hen she got a few of the other hens after him also. after she "left" things settled down. He just started crowing last week and now is firmly in charge.

 

[Indiana Gallina's]

Thanks for all the great info it looks to be settling down a little this morning. It was so great to hear the rooster crowing this morning and no one fighting. It was kind of crazy at first though with the way his feathers flair up around his head. He was the 2nd rooster on the totem pole where he was at before. My biggest hen is probably as big if not bigger than he is so we will see how it goes.