Keeping rooster in seperate pen

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He would be much happier being with the flock. Even if he does a good job being nearby, he'd do better with them.

Not only is he social but he is instinctually driven to guide them and be the leader - just the way chickens are. If he is locked out of their cage he will always feel impotent (pardon the pun) and frustrated.
 
I have a silkie in with the hens and not sure yet if it's male or female. I'm afraid to put him in now as he's HUGE in size compared to the silkie.
 
I guess another option would be to add a couple hens with him in the goat pen and just have 2 separate flocks?
 
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yeah silkies aren't exactly good at self-defense...they just run around
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Got any pictures of the silkie?
 
hi all, I have a question. I have a flock of 8 hen and one rooster. last October we bought two more pullets ( we thought), turns out one is a rooster (found out about 3 weeks ago when Thelma crowed). they are currently together in a separate pen but share a wall with the rest of my flock. I am at a loss because I did not want another rooster. I wanted to introduce the new hen to my current flock but i have read not to leave the rooster alone. I don't think putting him in with my flock is a good idea because my two year old rooster lives with the hens. also, the other hens are two years old and pretty tough girls. I am afraid they will beat him up. I do have two hens that have ROH in my barn due to circumstances that warranted them to be separated from the rest of the flock. I was thinking of just adding the new little hen and rooster to those two. however on my first attempt, one of those hens went after the younger hen when I let her out so she ran squawking back to the rooster. I have read that one rooster and one hen is not a good thing as for over breeding the hen (she already looks like she's had enough). I was going to return the rooster (as he was sold to me as a pullet) but I am worried he'll be sent to the frying pan (he's a good boy so far), plus my husband really likes him. I don't have a problem keeping the two of them separate and together forever but I don't want the hen to suffer and I am not really looking to add any more chickens at this point. Does anyone have any suggestion to help with this scenario?
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Mrs. K said:
Fertilized chicken eggs are in a state of suspension. Bobbi J is right, they do not begin to develop. The reason is it takes about 25 hours for a hen to lay an egg. Sometimes even today in people's flock, the natural process takes place. A hen will hide an egg, the next day she slips back there to her hidden nest, lay another egg. Pretty soon she will have a clutch of eggs, when the clutch looks to be the right number, she will begin to set.

At this point she is a broody hen, with incredible high hormones. Her whole personality changes and even her posture. She sets on those eggs, low and flat, and will puff and growl if anything gets too close. She will only get off the nest once a day to eat and poop. After 24 hours of being warmed to close to 100 F, the eggs begin to develop and grow. All the eggs are in the same state of development, regardless that some were laid a few days ago, and some might be close to a week old. What nature has allowed, is for all the eggs to start at the same time, so that they hatch at the same time.

When they hatch, she will leave the nest in about 12 hours, taking the live chicks with her, leaving any duds, create a new nest usually back with the flock. So you see, she needs those eggs to develop all at the same rate. She cannot be tied to a nest, trying to get the last laid eggs to hatch, while the live chicks are running around needing protection.

This is also why, if you get a broody hen, you need to add the clutch all at the same time.

I am of the opinion that chickens are flock animals, and need to be together. I am confused by the statement that he can protect them through the fence? He cannot rule his girls unless he is in there with them.

Mrs K
Click to expand...

I had no idea! Thank you for posting this!!!
 

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