Seeking Advice: Young Rooster in Flock with Older Rooster

[Mother of Chaos]

Question about size of dog crates: I’m adding a 6- and an 8-week- old pullet (2 pullets) to my mini-flock of three in a few weeks. What size dog crates should I get for them, plus in the future for a broody, etc? 24”? 30”?

 

[Folly's place]

Bigger is always better! And make it an airline crate, not an all wire crate!
Chicks can get through the wire door on the airline crate at the bottom, we add duct tape on both sides of the lower three or four inches of the door for chicks. Looks ugly but works very well. No sticky stuff exposed because the tape is on both sides of the door.
Mary

 

[Anon112]

Bigger is always better! And make it an airline crate, not an all wire crate!
Chicks can get through the wire door on the airline crate at the bottom, we add duct tape on both sides of the lower three or four inches of the door for chicks. Looks ugly but works very well. No sticky stuff exposed because the tape is on both sides of the door.
Mary

I did something really similar last year. I cut strips of cardboard about 4 inches and wove it through the dog crate wire. Kept the chicks in great!

Also, for about $100 I was able to build a totally rat-proof, secure "nursery" for my chicks. It is 4 feet long and two feet wide. The main downside is that, unlike a dog crate, it's not collapsible/easily movable.

 

[CraziChknLady]

I have had a young rooster in with the flock with a main rooster before. Had a least 20-25 hens and they had a 12x12 coop with fencing all around in which they would free range all day. Sure they had little squabbles but just so the Dad, Nico, could tell Jr his place. It was never full on fighting. So I'm not sure why my situation worked. Nico would always been on the top roost while Jr was further below. He was at least 10 months - 1 yr old before the culling. ( Flock got sick).

I've also had 2 grown roos in with a flock and they got together fine, although I'm not sure of their situation as I got them together as adults. Never had any fighting between them. Maybe each one knew where they stood in the pecking order?

I've also had roos that were so mean that I had to keep them separated. Just wouldn't leave the girls alone.

I think it's just a combination of things. It's also possible that maybe personality wise they just don't get along. But I do think the whole separate for awhile then put him back in is a great suggestion. I always say things are worth a try. You'll never know if it will work or not if you don't test it out.

 

[McChooky]

Separating roosters and putting them back together is a no no