Placing rooster with flock of hens?? UPDATE****

[Half-a-dozen]

ADDED QUESTION- Is it ok for the girls to be chasing him this am a bit??? some are just goin about business, others seem to be a bit more concerned he's there.


Hi everyone,

Got a question. I got a full grown roo from a friend (healthy boy), I put him in the large run tonight with the Ten girls. He was a bit nervous, they were curious. (all birds are full grown).
He ran around a bit baaahkin. all of them went over to check him out, some did not seem to care at all. It is dark now. The girls are all inside at roost and he is outside at roost.

Q- Do I pick him up and put him to roost with the girls ??
will this be fine?

Has anyone ever done it this way?

I've read on a couple of sites to do it this way in the dark.

I have no other roosters, he is the first one, seemingly very calm as we were handling him.
I'm not sure what type he is..send pics soon for that question.

The rest of the flock (all girls) they are RIR's, leg horn, and BR. all well established full grown and laying. No other roo's in the flock, except this new comer.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[CarriBrown]

Yes, put him in there with the girls. Chickens seem to get along better when they wake up together... sort of like drunk people!

 

[Half-a-dozen]

Thank you so much for your reply, I'm goin out there now to put him to roost with the girls

 

[redwa]

We introduced our Roo the same way. They took to him like flies to honey once they all woke up together! He really seems to complete the flock, I think my girls are much happier having him around. Just make sure you follow the advice for handling Roos and make sure he knows you, your kids, husband, etc are the head Roos of your flock. For example if our guy mounts the hens in our presence we gently push him off. We also don't let him do the mating dance to us. With our last Roo we thought it was so funny when he approached us with the dance. Didn't know he was asserting his roo power over us, making him feel dominant. He slowly but eventually got more and more aggressive. Our current roo seems very respectful. I hope we can keep him this way.

 

[Half-a-dozen]

Thanks for the advice.

got another question. I put him in there last night and this morning he is out with the girls. it's not overwhelming but they seem to be trying to bully him a bit. ya know. when he starts to go about minding his business one comes over to annoy and chace him. Is this OK???
Some don't seem to mind at all but this one RIR in particular she is really starting to irritate me with it.
They are already together since last night so I can't see taking him out now. He is still able to grab some food and water. But they just keep chasing him ever once in a bit.

 

[Chatychick]

I think its just pecking order they should adjust soon. Mine wouldnt know what to do without a roo in with them. Maybe its just because they havent had 1 in with them in a while. They are basically trying to figure him out and that is why they are chasing him. I know some of my girls are a little bossy at times and some are not. They should get used to him soon. If by chance they start pecking on him and make him bleed do remove him for a while. I think they should do fine, someties it takes more than a day to welcome the new ones...Good Luck

 

[Hotwings]

It could be that the hen bothering your new roo was the dominate hen in the flock. Sometimes when there isn't a roo present a hen may take over being top boss. It should straighten it self out soon when the roo asserts himself as top dog or chicken lol.