New rooster to hens

[sloanbychoice]

Hello!
I’m new to this group, but I love all the help so far.
I have 16 hens we got as chicks in early spring and one hen from last year’s batch.
I recently took in a rooster who is approximate in age to my girls.
After isolation, I enclosed him in a little store-bought coop that sits inside our barn coop where the girls live.
Several days went by with very little attention toward either side.
Today, I decided to try it.
I was worried about the safety of my girls, but more so about him.
Turns out I was right to worry. He came out and immediately tried to get to his business, but my ladies were not a fan of him. Together about six or seven of them started ganging up on him.
He is now back in his own little coop, after having been cornered and pecked by these independent ladies.
What’s next?

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Your girls will teach him good manners so don’t worry about things. He will learn and gain the respect / acceptance of your flock quickly

 

[sloanbychoice]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Your girls will teach him good manners so don’t worry about things. He will learn and gain the respect / acceptance of your flock quickly

So how concerned should I be about his safety in the mean time? I mean, had I not broken things up, I believe they would have ripped him to shreds. They were not showing signs of backing down, well after he tried to run away.

 

[BullChick]

The girls need to teach him, and also be sure he’s man enough.
If they are genuinely attacking him, and causing harm, place a hen or two in with him to bond with for a few days or a week. Then he won’t be alone when he’s re-introduced.

 

[sloanbychoice]

The girls need to teach him, and also be sure he’s man enough.
If they are genuinely attacking him, and causing harm, place a hen or two in with him to bond with for a few days or a week. Then he won’t be alone when he’s re-introduced.

So I actually thought about putting one in with him, but then I wondered if I would be trapping a poor girl in with him and what if that didn’t work out.
I may try that though. As I don’t have another way to introduce only a couple at a time.

 

[N F C]

Give them all time to figure things out. In the meantime, things can get rowdy but as long as blood isn't shed, they'll work it out.

 

[BlueBaby]

Hello, and welcome! Glad that you joined! Good luck in getting that rooster to be accepted by the hen's! They will have to teach him manner's, and make him show them where the food is and dance for them first.

 

[bobbi-j]

How much space do they have? Is there enough room for you to put in a pallet, piece of paneling, anything that he can hide behind (making sure he can escape if needed - not a dead end trap)? Sometimes out of sight means out of mind for chickens. If they're not drawing blood, I'd let them work it out. Chickens know far more about chicken society and how it works than we do.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

How much space do they have? Is there enough room for you to put in a pallet, piece of paneling, anything that he can hide behind (making sure he can escape if needed - not a dead end trap)? Sometimes out of sight means out of mind for chickens. If they're not drawing blood, I'd let them work it out. Chickens know far more about chicken society and how it works than we do.

Yes, this is what was suggested to me for introducing new hens to a flock of hens

 

[sloanbychoice]

How much space do they have? Is there enough room for you to put in a pallet, piece of paneling, anything that he can hide behind (making sure he can escape if needed - not a dead end trap)? Sometimes out of sight means out of mind for chickens. If they're not drawing blood, I'd let them work it out. Chickens know far more about chicken society and how it works than we do.

It’s a pretty big area. That’s a good idea. Thank you!!!