New rooster how to?

[o0Zilla0o]

Unfortunately, I lost my beautiful wyandott rooster yesterday.(The neighbor's dog, unfortunately, was escaped from home and was 'having fun' to chasing my chickens, and unfortunately it cost my rooster his life!) And has been completely broken, he was just something very special. (have spent a lot of time and energy making him tame when he was completely wild when we got him + the other chiks) He loved to get into the living room and knocked on the doors and windows for attention. It was far too short I have him in my life.

My daughter was also very attached to him, luckily she is still so small she does not understand he's gone. (she is 2 years old)...

Now to the question, I can see my ladies really lack their rooster. So I've been out and found a new one I'm going to pick up next week, together with one hen he has been with. (blue brahma) Not to be alone in my already established flock, but how do I best introduce an adult rooster, he is 1½years. My own hens is just barely 6-7 months. So they are still young, but have gone together for some months and have found their hearaki - will he just go in and take over or?

Still new to this world, so hope for some advice.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I am so sorry about your beloved Roo! What a priceless picture of your daughter feeding her sweet, sweet chickens!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

To answer your question, I would set up a temporary see but don’t touch method..... then free range with supervision. Good luck!

 

[o0Zilla0o]

Thanks, That's how I did last time. (a pen next to the others)

But only heard that rooster are often easier to put into the herd, than new hens.
But I like to go with 'straps and harnesses' and makes sure for a good introduces than a stressed one. I have plenty of time to do it quietly. Only the best for my hens! <3

I would rather ask this forum, to just go out from one persons experience, and you are so many experienced people in here.

 

[Mrs. K]

If he is a 1.5 years, he will just go in and be the rooster, and they will all be in love before morning. I am not quite so sure of the hen you are bringing with him. That might cause a little more ruckus. Put them in shortly before dark, and see how it goes.

Once I was going to do the whole - see but not touch, but something came up, and by the time I got back down there, he had escaped his cage, and was free ranging with the girls, and they were cooing to him...so I quit worrying about it.

Mrs K

 

[Mrs. K]

Do be wary with him around your two year old, some roosters are wonderful, but some cannot be trusted with children. THAT IS THE PART I would take carefully and slowly.

MK

 

[Ridgerunner]

Your pullets are 6 to 7 months old. Are most of them laying? That rooster is 1-1/2 years old. Then you have a hen of unknown age you are bringing in. Looking at your first photo it looks like you free range them, no real fences.

Normally I'd say if most of your pullets were laying and it was only the rooster just let him go. He should mate with a few that are laying and make that entire flock his. Usually with a mature rooster and mature hens (if they are laying they should be mature enough) it is really easy, especially with that much room. I don't give guarantees but it usually doesn't get much easier.

That new hen complicates it a bit though. I assume she is laying? You do not want to train her to lay somewhere you don't want her to lay. You do not want to lock the pullets that are laying way from the nests. With the space you have I'd probably just turn both of them loose and see what happens. There are some risks with that. You don't know where they will roost, it could be in a tree. You don't know where she will lay her egg, maybe in your nest but maybe not. They could even go walk-about, trying to find their old home, though with those pullets there it's not very likely. It's possible the hen would beat up on the pullets but with that room probably not likely. Like I said, no guarantees.

Another viable option if you can is to section off a part of the coop and keep them locked in there for a week or so. That should take care of most of the potential problems I mentioned but you may wind up with an additional nest, maybe not exactly where you want it. It means a little more work for you, building it, tearing it out,extra feeding, watering, and cleaning.

If less than half of your pullets are laying, I'd wait until they are. House the rooster and hen, hopefully in your coop, until they are. Maturity plays into it, not just for the rooster but also for the hen and how she integrates. That is being really cautious but I sense that is what you prefer.

Good luck!

 

[o0Zilla0o]

Ridgerunner: Thanks, for your good explanation and answer.
I appreciate that-

None of my chickens lay eggs, but they have definitely laid up my rooster by lying whit his feet and lift the bum, against him and such a little cradle from side to side. But he was younger than them, so no action from his side.

And yes 100% free range no fences.

They hen is one he has always going whit, so the seller will not separate them, and she is laying eggs. (I had good luck with joining my chickens a couple of months ago but they were all new too, so I'm just aware that the chicken could cause a little trouble but thought that when she was whit the rooster they had each other to stick with, against my current?)

*section off a part of the coop
- Yes i can

 

[o0Zilla0o]

Your writing has given me many good thoughts, so I have something to prepare for the weekend before the new residents come.

 

[Mrs. K]

Try just adding them first and see, but if that does not work, set up a see but no touch.