Question!?

[albird101]

Okay I have a question. I was wondering if it was possible to put a young rooster about 2-3 months old with two hens. Will the hens kill him or would the young rooster have a chance?

 

[sumi]

That depends on your hens, the amount of space you have available for them, if the roo will be able to escape the bullying... I have successfully integrated young and older chickens in the past, but they were roaming over a very large area and the young ones could (and did) keep themselves to themselves mostly. The only problem was at bedtime, when the older ones would bully the young ones off the roosts, but after awhile they got settled. Ideally you should wait until the youngster is more or less the same size as the hens before introducing him. They may also be more tolerant of a more mature male in their midst.

 

[JNB]

Everything Sumi said is great advice. The part about the Roo being similar in size is something I have found key in adding new birds. The temperament of the hens is key too. If they are docile and sweet it will go much smoother.

Something I do to test the waters is put the new bird in a separate area.. like a small dog carrier or pen and see how things go for a few hours. Lastly when ever I add a new bird to a coop I do so at night when everyone is sleeping.. or in the morning shortly before they wake up( this way I can keep an eye on them a bit better) either way adding the new member when its dark seems to work every time. They seem to transition much easier.. I do have a few girls that are ruthless bullies and this method even works in their coop

Good Luck!!