New Roo to my girls.....not going so well...what to do?

[sgall]

So we lost our original Banty rooster to a dog attack and we decided since our flock is primarily RIRs that we would go with a new RIR rooster. We found one who is absolutely perfect (in our eyes). We purchased him from a man who had him. He is 11 months old and was in a pin with his older, more mature father who had started to bully him. He was very submissive and would just stay in a corner all day. We brought him home and put him with our girls who are not really accepting him, but he is still being very submissive. The girls chest bumped and pecked him a bit and they pretty much leave him alone now except that occassionally they chase him. He is being such a loaner. He is by himself...in a corner....even when they are ranging outside. He just keeps his distance....He has not gotten all of his tail feathers or spurs due to his daddy not letting him. Will this get better or will it always be this way? If he is going to stay submisive and not "grow a pair" then we need to get rid of him and get us a real chicken man...I just feel bad for him being in a new place, with his own new girls, and just being all alone...

Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[highpointfarm]

Give it time... i think it should work itself out.... if nothing else there wouldnt be a problem keeping him for loves sake and getting another roo it seems.....

 

[sgall]

Do you know how long this typically takes? I thought about letting him feather out and get his spurs maybe add a little weight and the. Reintroducing him but then he is pinned up all alone once again. We went in the roost tonight to shut the door and he was laying on the ground and the girls were on the perches. I just feel so bad for him he has a worn down spirit and I want him to build up some confidence already! Thanks for the reply!

 

[donrae]

How many hens do you have and how old are they?

Is it possible to seperate him with one or two hens, less dominate girls? That might do the trick.

 

[sgall]

We have 7 hens and then the one rooster. I don't see one en in particular that isn't chasing him off. Honestly I think he is just so skiddish from being bullied by his dad his whole life and now bring in a new place.... I just still feel bad for him and don't know exactly what to do

 

[madamwlf]

How long has it been? It takes time for hens to adjust to change. It will take him time as well. You can't expect to throw a new roo in and everything go smoothly. The dominate hen will show him who's boss anyway. It took my banty roo weeks to get accepted by his girls.

 

[sgall]

The hens really aren't messing with him. He is the one who ru s around and dodges them for no reason.... Maybe they are giving him the chicken eye and I just can't see it. And I did. Expect everything to run smoothly I guess I was just shocked that the rooster didn't man up right away.

 

[darin367]

give him a few weeks maybe a month........ he'll man up......... just let mother nature do what she does....