Rooster

[eschlotz]

i just got a Roo and he is about 3 weeks younger then my Pullets. I tried to toss him in with them but they beat him up... how and when should i intro him to the flock?

 

[Lil Peeps]

Well having them spend a little supervised time together every day could help. I don't know how old your chickens are but if they are old enough to go outside you could let them see each other and get used to each other through the wire pen. I would say try to put him in with the others when he is big enough to defend himself and handle himself. We had the same problem with a young rooster who we put in with our hens who were 2 years older than him and we slowly introduced him and then when he was big enough we put him in with the hens, at first under close supervision so he wouldn't get hurt, he will have to take a few pecks as they decide how the pecking order going to be after adding a new chicken into the flock but as long as they aren't seriously injuring him he'll be fine. This is at least how we introduced our Roo and now he rules the roost.

 

[eschlotz]

Well having them spend a little supervised time together every day could help. I don't know how old your chickens are but if they are old enough to go outside you could let them see each other and get used to each other through the wire pen. I would say try to put him in with the others when he is big enough to defend himself and handle himself. We had the same problem with a young rooster who we put in with our hens who were 2 years older than him and we slowly introduced him and then when he was big enough we put him in with the hens, at first under close supervision so he wouldn't get hurt, he will have to take a few pecks as they decide how the pecking order going to be after adding a new chicken into the flock but as long as they aren't seriously injuring him he'll be fine. This is at least how we introduced our Roo and now he rules the roost.

 

[eschlotz]

Thank you- that seems like the best idea. My Pullets are like 6 weeks and he is like 4-5 weeks. I wonder how old he needs to be to make
It in that flock?

 

[Lil Peeps]

I know you probably don't want to have to wait a super long time but if it were me I would wait until he was about the same size as my hens or close. Since they both are still growing and roosters tend to be slower growers, that could take a while. But I would definitely still even just ho!d him around them and just let him kind of get used to them, or just kind of let him sit on your lap so if he feels comfortable enough after a while he might jump down and join the hens. I definitely like to let the roo kind of get used to my hens some so I'm not throwing him in to a band of scary, crazy strangers, lol. How many pullets do you have?

 

[eschlotz]

I have eight Pullets- I got a rooster because my friend got one in her flock by accident and. Figured he'd help keep the flock safer

 

[Lil Peeps]

Yeah, 8 pullets isn't that many so he should be fine eventually going in with them, our poor roo had to stand against 23 hens. But he ended up getting along just fine. Good luck on introducing your little roo!

 

[Lil Peeps]

Oh, and if you have anymore questions or trouble, I would be happy to try to help you out with them.

 

[eschlotz]

Oh, and if you have anymore questions or trouble, I would be happy to try to help you out with them.

 

[eschlotz]

Thank you! They are out in the coop now no heat and I am freaking out because it is 32 degrees tonight seems
Cold
For babies