New Hen and Relentless Rooster??

[jktrahan]

I'm working on slowly introducing a new Polish hen (14 months) to my small flock of 1 bantam roo and 2 bantam cochin, about the same age. Also, introducing 6 silkies from 2 mo to 4 mo old. Letting the birds mingle a little each day in my fenced in garden which is about 25' x 30'. The 1st night i tried introducing by setting the new hen in the coop at dusk and the 2 cochin and roo just went after her relentlessly, so after about 15 minutes i just removed her.

Now they are all free ranging in my garden and all are fine except that the rooster will keep hunting the polish down and give her a couple of good pecks to the head until she curls up in a corner or under a big cabbage plant. He's breeding her a few times but mostly just hunting her (it seems). I expected the hens to go through a pecking order, but don't know what to think about this roo?

I plan on keeping them seprate at night and letting them free rang together for another week before trying to put the new hen with the others in the coop at night.

 

[SmartyChick]

Good idea, let them free range in the yard during the day for a while. I may take longer than a week. Is there a way to let them free range where there is no fence? In an open yard there is plenty of room to get away.
Remember you are "top rooster" so if you stand guard over the hen with a big stick or something and when the rooster comes around to make trouble you can whack him and shoo him away to say "my hen, STAY AWAY!" that might help after a few times.
Another thing to try is to set up a "hiding place" for her. A place where only she can get into and no one else can. This is kinda hard to do especially if there is no size difference, so I use it as a last resort.
Keep us posted!

 

[jktrahan]

I have them in the garden so that i don't have to worry if a stray dog or cat comes by because it is fenced in. Also since the Polish and silkies are still new i don't want them to wonder off. I'm trying to get them used to the idea that the garden is their run and the coop is in their also, so they can get used to it as well.