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Need Help with How to Introduce a Rooster

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by horsefeathers09, Feb 20, 2015.

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  1. Feb 20, 2015 #1
    horsefeathers09

    horsefeathers09 Songster

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    Mar 1, 2009
    Phoenix, Arizona
    I have a 5 month old Silkie roo who has been penned up in an area in sight of 4 mature Silkies hens and one Silkie pullet, for 3 months. This is my first time having a roo and although I've had chickens for years... having a roo for the first time has put me on strange territory. It's probably time to formally introduce him to the flock, but quite honestly I'm afraid... and not sure exactly how to do this. The hens roam about an acre, and return to the coop at dusk. Question: Should I just open the roo's pen door for the first time in the morning when I let the hens out, or put him with the hens in a 10ft X10 ft coop at night? My Silkie hens are extremely docile, often broody, and show very little (if any) signs of a pecking order.

    Another concern: I need to handle this roo in order to check and adjust his No-Crow rooster collar weekly, so will he go to the coop at night just as the hens? Are roosters doormats at night same as hens? I'm a little worried to set him free and not be able to ever catch him again, mostly because of him wearing that collar. He is pretty nice, but I must admit, I had to introduce him to my boot before I got any respect. Any suggestions or advice on introducing this roo to my hens is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2015

  4. Feb 20, 2015 #2
    jaredthefox

    jaredthefox Chirping

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    Jan 4, 2015
    Marshall Texas
    I have 7 roosters of different breeds. I have 25 hens at this time. I keep those roosters and put them 1 at a time with my girls so that I can get the roo I want to fertilize the eggs at that specific time. I just put the new rooster in with my girls at night and all my other rooster are free range 100% of the time. Because I have changed out roos a few times all of them
    Know what is behind door number 1 lol.

    To answer your question if roosters go in the coop at night. Absolutely. I let my hens free range periodically. When all the hens and roosters free range together I just wait until dusk and than go in the coop and remove what roosters I don't want in there. IF I didn't do this all 7 roosters would be in the coop every night.

    In order to introduce a new rooster into your flock for the first time you would handle him as you would any chicken. The first 3 days you lock him and your other flock in the coop for 3 days or so. Make sure it's at night time when you introduce him into the flock. Idk about silkie hens but I know my blk sex link hens can beat up some of my roosters lol. So the night time intro is for his safety.

    i have also introduced 4 silkie roosters into my rooster flock. Got them all when they were full grown. Locked them in a small pen for 3 days. Than let them out. They free range 100% of the time with my other roosters. No problems.

    I have found that keeping roosters together actually calms them down a lot. Just a small piece of useless info lol

    Hope this helps
     

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