Roos in new flock or old flock?

[Heffalump]

My adult flock is made up of 10 mixed breed hens plus a mild mannered banty cochin roo who is about 5 years old. They live in a 8 x 6 coop and their run is 675 sq ft.

I hatched some eggs 6 weeks ago and I now have 4 banty polish chicks- 3 pullets one roo, and 2 LF BO - 1 pullet, one roo. They are currently in an old rabbit hutch and run that I'm using as a grow out coop temporarily.

I have built a 2nd coop and run totally separate from the first flock because my origional intention was to keep them apart, but lately I've been reading lots about the benefits of young roosters growing up under an older roo. So would I be better off putting the chicks in with the original flock? I would build another coop and have it in the same run as the original coop, as I know the 8 x 6 coop is close to capacity.

What do you think?

 

[Heffalump]

Anyone?

 

[aart]

What are your goals...how many males do you really need?
Young cockerel with older hens gets more schooling than with another male, IMO.

 

[Heffalump]

What are your goals...how many males do you really need?
Young cockerel with older hens gets more schooling than with another male, IMO.

Goals are pretty much just pets/hobby and eggs (both eating and hatching). No meat.

I don't really NEED many more than 1 rooster, but my current roo is about 5 so I wouldn't mind another one coming up the ranks.

I don't mind paying to feed "extra" roos.

 

[Mrs. K]

I personally like a multi-generational flock. I think it is a more natural chicken society. And older birds do add a lot of education to younger birds. However, mine are in the flock sooner than later.

They are animals - so anything goes, but I think if you can get them past the integration, you might be happy with the results.

Mrs k

 

[aart]

I don't mind paying to feed "extra" roos.

I don't mind feeding them(until they feed me),
it's the other aspects of multiple males that I wouldn't want to deal with.