New Cockeral From Outside Flock

[Cr8zy4Chicks]

Howdy, I have found a young roo in my area that I will ne bringing home today, he is around 6 months old and he will be the only rooster with my 8 hens. Since he is coming from someone's farm I'm not familiar with how long should I keep him away from the girl? Once I know he is healthy and has no major health concerns how long should I cage him in the run with the girls before I let him free roam with them?


I just want to make sure everyone stays self and healthy so any advise will be appreciated

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Quarantine is as long as possible and as far as possible away from your flock. 40 days is recommended but at least 2 weeks is essential. During that time, also check for lice and mites. Handle your birds first before tending to the new bird and wash up before going back to your flock.
Another thing I recommend after a couple weeks put one of your less valuable birds with the new one as a sacrificial lamb. If neither bird shows illness a few days later, you're probably OK.
You can probably move him right in after that. A 6 month old rooster should be able to hold his own even if the hens shun him at first.

 

[Cr8zy4Chicks]

Quarantine is as long as possible and as far as possible away from your flock. 40 days is recommended but at least 2 weeks is essential. During that time, also check for lice and mites. Handle your birds first before tending to the new bird and wash up before going back to your flock.
Another thing I recommend after a couple weeks put one of your less valuable birds with the new one as a sacrificial lamb. If neither bird shows illness a few days later, you're probably OK.
You can probably move him right in after that. A 6 month old rooster should be able to hold his own even if the hens shun him at first.

Great, thank you for the advise, I'm excited to get home so reading your post gives me more confidance on bring him home!

 

[Mrs. K]

Adding an adult rooster to a flock is the easiest single bird additions you can make. There may be a scuffle or two in the beginning, but in my experience they have all been in love before morning.

But it will change the dynamics of the flock, where as they all look to you now, they will look to him, who will probably look to you. But he may kind of keep them away from you. I love having a rooster with the flock, but it is not the same as an all hen flock.

As for quarantine, most backyard set ups, really cannot correctly quarantine, one generally does not have enough space. If he looks healthy, he probably is healthy. It is a risk, but if he has been kept in a flock, in which that flock was not exposed to new birds... it is kind of like being in a quarantine already. I mean, he was separate from your birds for more than the 40 days, and he did not get sick. The sacrificial bird is a good idea if you are very nervous about it.

Do not ever take a bird you feel sorry for. If you don't, it is probably ok. If you have a very valuable flock, or a large number of birds, well you are risking quite a bit of money, or if you would go into a state of decline if you loose a bird, but then you probably should just add chicks and be very safe.

Mrs K

 

[Cr8zy4Chicks]

Thank you, he came from a loving home and looks to be very well kept, he was the low man on the pecking order of 9 other roosters at this Farm. I've checked him for mites and he seems clean, I have him in a large dog crate on my patio away from my girls for now, I was thinking about dusting him in some diatomatious earth to make sure i didnt miss anything, then after 2 weeks quarentine i was gonna put him in with the girls.

He is a BCM and I am looking forward to see his babies with my girls and expanding my egg rainbow!!

Thanks for your advise, I just wanna make sure I do things the right way!

 

[aart]

I was thinking about dusting him in some diatomatious earth

Don't bother with the DE, pretty useless on an infestation.
Check him over real good and use permethrin dust or spray if you find anything.

My 'bug' notes:
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).