Is my young roo big enough to hurt chicks?

[meags163]

I have 2 sets of birds (3 in each) that I ordered as chicks and they are 4-5 weeks apart. The older group is 9 weeks old and one is a barred rock rooster. He is twice as big as the leghorn who is the same age. I am going away next week and planned to have all my birds in the coop by the time I left. I just put the younger group in yesterday and I know I should expect some pecking to go on, but is the rooster big enough to hurt them? He is a little over half their size. They have just been cuddled in a corner together and he pecks at them when they try to eat.

 

[Mrs. Feathers]

I would keep an eye on them over the next few days. You could put out a second feeder for the little guys to get to if he continues to peck at them. Sounds like normal learning to get along together stuff if you don`t have any viscious attacks going on

We are doing the same thing....processing some roos this weekend and hope to have our hens and 8 week olds settled together asap.

 

[dawg53]

meags163, I think you answered your own question, you stated,"They have just been cuddled in a corner together and he pecks at them when they try to eat." I recommend you keep the older group seperated from the younger group til you get back, then you can closely monitor them...it could be a bloody mess if you dont.