New man..

[Claud'schick's]

Morning everyone as you know I've only been raising chicks for a couple years and my last girls got taken by Coyote and I knew girls are Doing wonderful they're almost 4 months old. My son just brought home a 5 and a 1/2 month old rooster He is a wyandotte. Can I put him with of my chicks or do I have to slowly introduce him? Appreciate any feedback from you.

 

[featherhead007]

He may get rejected, but try, and go slow

 

[PirateGirl]

It really just depends on the birds. One time I integrated birds and they were fine with each other within an hour, no drama. This time we have been working on it for over a week and still have problems where I have to intervene and separate them so no one gets hurt. Observe and trust your gut.

 

[MargaretAnneHK]

Mine had more problems accepting another hen than a roo but thats just been my experience.

 

[Mrs. K]

A single rooster is an easy add, however, I might wait until your pullets are laying or at least red topped combs.

Mrs K

 

[RWise]

I myself would keep him in his own pad until he is at least 1 YO.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

The integration of my rooster went very smoothly, and he's the only roo. I found hen to hen harder.

 

[aart]

Morning everyone as you know I've only been raising chicks for a couple years and my last girls got taken by Coyote and I knew girls are Doing wonderful they're almost 4 months old. My son just brought home a 5 and a 1/2 month old rooster He is a wyandotte. Can I put him with of my chicks or do I have to slowly introduce him? Appreciate any feedback from you.

He's just a Boy!

Adding a mature cockbird/rooster to mature hens usually pretty easy, but...
since all of these birds are young, but the cockerel is just feeling his oats and the pullets are not laying, it could be a train wreck. If you're really really lucky the cockerel will have the innate knowledge that the girls are not mature and will not try to mate them unceasingly. On the other hand, the pullets may kick his butt.
Best to have a separate but adjacent shelter for the male at first.

FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.


Here's some tips that may help your situation.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.