New Rooster for flock?

natyvidal

Songster
5 Years
Mar 1, 2018
415
445
202
Dade City, Florida
Hi everyone! My flock is mostly heritage chickens and free range. I have 21 hens and two roosters. One rooster is an easter egger and top in the pecking order. Super nice and very tame. He was raised by me as well as all my chickens.

Except the other rooster. He is an ameraucana. He was given to me while still young. (Less than a year.) So my hens are divided into two harems where the two roosters reign while free ranging during the day and cooped up at night.

Q: The problem is the second rooster. He has started being very agresive and attacking family visiting and children and visitors. And that’s a nono! So unless there is some good advise for the problem, he will become soup or “arroz con pollo!“


Q: I know I’ll probably have to get rid of the rooster but I like to get another one to look after and protect the ladies. A neighbor has a younger one, maybe around 6 months old, that I can introduce to the flock slowly and steady. He is accustomed to be cooped up and raised in a flock like mine are.



Q: is this a good solution?

Should I pay attention to the type of breed for aggressiveness?

Should the new one be smaller in size? Should I cage him at first, for a while, before introducing him to the flock? The cage is in the same area as the chicken run.



Any advise and suggestions are always welcomed. Thank you.
 
Well I think you are asking for a cock fight. Strange rooster showing up on an established flock territory will generally cause fighting. I am not sure if you CAN do enough see and no touch. I would not be surprised if they fought through the fence. A lot will depend on your alpha rooster's attitude. But just because he had a deal worked out with the other rooster, that might not pass to a new boy.

I think you would have better luck if you hatched out, or got chicks under a broody hen, and raise up a rooster in the flock. Father/son roosters have seemed (but not infallible) work best for me.

Mrs K
 
Ok. Then my next question is. Can my top rooster watch over a harem of 20 hens? I am planning to add more hens since I am having a high demand for my eggs and I know I don’t need roosters for my hens to lay eggs but I like the added protection my hens get when they have a rooster watching over them.
From what I read the ratio is one rooster for 10-12 hens.

Thank you.
 
10-12 hens for optimum fertility, but it you are not going to hatch, not a big deal. A single rooster will even so probably keep them all fertile eggs on 20 hens. Personally, I would only want a second rooster if I got up to 25-30 hens and free ranged extensively.

If you are in the egg business, you need to keep them in a run, or risk a serious loss, beyond what a rooster can help with protection wise.

Mrs K
 
I honestly got a broom from the dollar tree and carried it around with me for a bit. I had to whomp on my RIR rooster (Lee Roy Brown) 3xs with it within a 2 month period, and I have never had to pick up that broom again since then. He is a good aggressive rooster and trust me he almost got into the stock pot.
You can add another rooster if you want.. I have done it, just know they will fight, but whomever is dominant will still chase off the other roo. I have 3 roosters and Lee Roy is #1 and #2 & #3 just follow each other around and avoid Lee Roy.

-All new birds should be caged with something (large dog kennel is what I use) so they can hear, see, but not touch each other. Obviously try to keep the roos separate, but if you free range (like I do) then they may meet up.
-I feel like 20 hens is too much for 1 rooster, but that's just my opinion. I also feel it depends on your landscape... Is it flat? Do you have places they can hide in or end up alone due to hills?
-You can pay attention to breed traits, but know they are not 100%. I have 3 White Leghorns that are supposed to be nervous and flighty, yet they are the friendliest of all my hens and the first ones to greet you. They have no fear lol.
-I would make sure your new rooster (if you get one) is at least the same size as your other birds.. if you get a smaller roo the dominate one will kill him.
 

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