Introducing young hens to old rooster

[sebile]

I have a small number of 1-2 year old hens and a rooster... i just bought some pullet chicks and am keeping them in the house for now.... someone told me that the rooster will try to breed them when they are put in with the existing group... and if they are very young he will injure them at that time and ruin their egg laying ability--?

 

[MillersFarm]

The rooster will flirt em' up once you would but them in with the others and the hen will make sure to put them in there place but that wont effect their egg laying, i'd wait until they get all their feathers in and are just big enough to fend off other hens

 

[donrae]

I've had very good luck doing what you're talking about. since your rooster is mature, and has access to breedable hens, he's not going to be a sex starved, crazy young maniac trying to breed anything remotely female. He should be a gentleman, and wait until the pullets are approaching maturity to breed them. That's what mine have done, anyway. I would keep an eye on him, to see how he acts, but he should be okay with them.

If he's not, if he's trying to forcefully mate pullets under say 4 months, I'd look at getting rid of him, myself. But that's your call, you could keep them separate until they're of age.


Now, if you're putting immature pullets in with another immature cockerel, or an older male who has no access to a breedable hen, he may try to mate them out of frustration for not having another outlet. I may not cull a rooster for that, but I'd still keep the pullets separate for their protection.