New Rooster in the hen house

[Dancin Creek]

We have 10 hens in out house from chicks for going on 10 months now. Yesterday we adopted an new 6 month old Americana Rooster. He is magnificent and larger than all the girls in hi new house. What is the best way to introduce him to the new girls. This morning after the girls vacated their house to spend the day free ranging, I place him in the house for a couple of hours thinking he might get a little smell of his area, I have now let him out and run free with the other hens. At firsts he and one of the dominate hens had a brief squawk and claw exchange but that ended with a holler to knock it off from me. Any suggestions on moving forward from this point. I suspect nature will take its course and sooner or latter all will fall into line.

 

[Den in Penn]

Welcome to BYC.
You are going to have to let them work it out. It may get a little brutal, but that's the way it is with chickens. It would be better if you could put him in a separate area where they could see each other for a while with out physically interacting so they can get to know each other first. Once they get to know each other the sorting out of the pecking order is usually less violent when they can interact.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would think it will be adjusted by morning. Your head chicken has had everything her way, she has been in the roo position. Once you add the roo, he will straighten your girls out. A roo is not, (in my humble opinion) fully grown until he is nearly a year old, I mean he is old enough to be with your girls and get the job done, but he is apt to be very eager, he maybe rather rough, and awkward, and he may not be a real good flock protector, until he gets some age on him.

With that being said, I have a new one this year, and really he hardly ruffles a feather???

MrsK