Keeping roo in with chicks?

[WooingWyandotte]

My banty pen consists of Elvis, Ethel, and Izzy. I won't go into breeds, because those don't matter - and not like ya'll care anyway.
Izzy went broody three weeks ago, within a week Ethel (the younger of the two) had joined her. Yesterday was day 20, today is 21, and chicks are hatching all over the place, lol.
Now my question is, when they take the chicks down into the run, will Elvis be ok with it? I've read conflicting things about this, some said that they will stay together as a little family (that would be awesome and adorable, but my hopes aren't high), or do you think he'd get really aggressive and kill the chicks?

 

[spartacus_63]

Most likely the roo will not be a problem and the mother hen will be protective, but will not defend the chicks to the death. If that is all the birds you have, you will probably be fine with them all together.

Would be interested in updates on how it works out.

 

[WooingWyandotte]

The roo is very sweet to the chicks.

I was afraid he's kill them, but when he got near, he was finding bugs and feed for them to eat doing his food cluck.

So it's all right over there. I'll be posting pic soon.

 

[MyShunshyn]

I am trying to do the same thing but with some introduced chicks....fingers crossed

 

[MyShunshyn]

I think I need to clarify.... We are wanting to give our broody Banty hen some chicks that we hatched before she went broody and she is in the same coop and run as our Banty roo and a very docile Sultan hen. The roo is the sweetest little guy but I am still a little worried about how the little family will get along. We only have a couple of Banty chicks to give her and she is only sitting on one egg so hopefully everything will go ok.

 

[Mrs. K]

I will hope you get lucky, but introducing chicks to a broody hen, will have the greatest success rate if the broody hen has been broody close to 21 days, AND the chicks are brand new, as in a day or so.

If I understand you right, you have chicks right now, and a hen sitting on an egg. The already hatched chicks will be 3 weeks older, and they will pick mercilessly on the new chick. I don't think the hen will take the older chicks.

I think the rooster might be the least of your problems. MrsK

 

[spartacus_63]

I concur with Mrs K. I have rarely had a problem with roos & chicks. A setting hen will not always adopt chicks and she can be merciless on them, especially if she is not far into the incubation of her egg(s).

If you are going to try an adoption, I recommend that you do it in the dark. I have had better luck with adoptions that way.

Good Luck

 

[MyShunshyn]

I tried and it was a no go....... she was ok at first but then became aggressive so I took them back to the brooder... it was worth a shot.
We will just have to integrate them later.
THanks for all the input though.