Reintegating a separated cockerel?

[PupsNHens]

Hi,

I have a growing flock of the following groups:

Group 1: 2 3-year old Barred Rock hens; 5 10-month old pullets; and one 10-month old cockerel
Group 2: 16 16-week old pullets
Group 3: one 10-month old cockerel​

I want to integrate them into one flock. They live in a pen that is divided into 3 section, with a group in each section (divided by fencing so they can see each other). I've already started short supervised free-ranging the babies with Group 1. So far, the cockerel, Remi, hasn't really paid much attention to them.

My lone cockerel, Nugget, was raised with the other 10-month olds, but I separated him before moving the babies outside because he was just too much for my hens. My BRs started to refuse to come off the roosts to avoid him. He doesn't hurt them, just too "enthusiastic" for them. Remi is not as pushy (and I've never actually seen him breed the BRs) and better tolerated by all the girls. And honestly, once I separated Nugget, there was far less drama (less running, flapping, vocalizing). I tired to reintroduce Nugget before moving the babies outside, but the boys just fought. So I stepped in, scooped up Nugget, and put in back in his pen. I don't want to rehome Nugget because I feel he is a better flock guardian than Remi. He sounds the alarm and everyone listens to him. Neither boy is human aggressive.

Any tips on reintroducing Nugget back to the flock? I'd rather have a single flock. The other option I was considering is to get Nugget his own small flock of free-range breeds and giving them access to the pasture, with the current flock continuing to free-range in the chicken yard (contained free-ranging), but I don't think I could get everything set up for that until next year. Thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[sourland]

Realistically 2 ten month cockerels are going to fight. Given enough space that the loser can get away and stay away from the winner, it might eventually work out, but be prepared for a bloody knock down/drag out. Just the nature of the beast.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

As long as the loser can get away, I would just let them fight it out. If you're really worried, you could watch them and make sure the loser doesn't get beat up too much.

 

[JedJackson]

I agree with the other comments. The cockerels are going to fight no matter what you do, so it is best to let them get it over with and hopefully they can get along reasonably well once they've squared the pecking order. You have enough females for both of them, in my opinion, so maybe when they are all together the boys will concentrate on the girls instead of fighting. It would be best to do it sooner rather than later. Younger birds are less set in their ways and are more open to change, usually. The hens and pullets may well fight too because they will have their own pecking order to sort out. Good luck.

 

[PupsNHens]

Thanks for the responses. That's what I was afraid of, just wanted to see if there was anything I could do to make it easier. I'd rather not have Nugget by himself, though he can see everyone through the fence. I even considered a rooster flock, which would let me try hatching some eggs at some point, but then I read that the rooster flock should be out of sight of the hens, so that won't work for me.

I've only had pullets in the past to integrate, so I'm used to that. They can be rather entertaining to watch - the pullets casually walk by a hen, and the hen just as casually reaches out and pecks them on the tail feathers, resulting in the pullet shooting straight up in the air before landing in a run.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Thanks for the responses. That's what I was afraid of, just wanted to see if there was anything I could do to make it easier. I'd rather not have Nugget by himself, though he can see everyone through the fence. I even considered a rooster flock, which would let me try hatching some eggs at some point, but then I read that the rooster flock should be out of sight of the hens, so that won't work for me.

I've only had pullets in the past to integrate, so I'm used to that. They can be rather entertaining to watch - the pullets casually walk by a hen, and the hen just as casually reaches out and pecks them on the tail feathers, resulting in the pullet shooting straight up in the air before landing in a run.

Just for clarification, a rooster flock doesn't have to be out of sight of the hens, it just makes it easier.

 

[aart]

I would ask, why do you need 2 males?
1 good male could cover 23 females.
Or you could always segregate the 1 male with a dozen females for week or two to up the fertility ratio.

 

[PupsNHens]

I would ask, why do you need 2 males?
1 good male could cover 23 females.
Or you could always segregate the 1 male with a dozen females for week or two to up the fertility ratio.

Well, I don't actually need 2 males. Remi was purchased as straight run on impulse in an attempt to obtain a blue Orpington pullet. I wasn't expecting the feed store to have them (this was before I discovered online hatcheries). I picked up a little gray chick hoping for a pullet, but knowing I didn't have any males if it turned out to be a male. I lost that lottery. Nugget was purchased as one of three buff Orpington pullets - he was one of the 10% that slip through.

Nugget is a better flock guardian, and Remi is better accepted by the girls. Neither is human-aggressive. If that changes, things may be very different, but for now they are behaving themselves. I was hoping that age and more females would settle Nugget down. I never intended to separate him, but that was what was best for my hens at the time.