Switching Roosters/Adding To A Flock

[MotherHen75]

Our current flock includes a large RIR rooster and 6 hens, one of which has 4 chicks at the moment. And inside he house we have 7 chicks. One is definitely a rooster, and we had a rooster of that same breed before and he was the sweetest thing, until the RIR killed him. The RIR has to go, and we want to switch out him for the younger one. How old should the babies be till introducing? And how would i go about introducing them? Will the hens accept the cockerel? (four of the babies are bantams, a polish and a silkie and two standard sized chicks, male chick is a bantam) The babies are 2-4 weeks old, it’s early so no rush, i know the chicks should be a couple months before introducing them.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I start introducing chicks as young as possible - around 2-3 weeks old. In fact my chicks from early April are now spending all day hanging out in the run with everyone else and then they go in a cat carrier on the screened porch at night. I'm in S Texas, though, so the weather allows that sort of thing. If you're up in Maine you have a different situation, but even when I lived in Maryland I would still introduce as early as possible and you will find the chicks sunbathing in 50 degree weather.

The reason I like younger is they learn their place and everyone accepts everyone much faster - their is no alternative pecking order already established in the chick "flock". Keep an eye out - just like with people, some chickens don't like "kids" very much. As long as your run is large and you have places for chicks to escape bullying and have food and water they can't be run off from, they will do fine.

 

[Chickassan]

The hens will accept him but he will have a few months of getting pecked and chased until he's mature enough to try to become the flock leader.
So he's got some maturing to do, but yep he'll grow on your girls.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

The hens will accept him but he will have a few months of getting pecked and chased until he's mature enough to try to become the flock leader.
So he's got some maturing to do, but yep he'll grow on your girls.

It gives him a healthy level of respect for the ladies

 

[MotherHen75]

We live in South Carolina, so pretty warm. I’m a little worried, there’s one hen in particular that’s proven herself untrustworthy. She’s tried to kill my broody hens babies, oh but boy did she get it, that mama hen got mad. She chased the entire flock out of the yard and into the woods. She came back and foraged with her babies, but these chicks only have me to protect them and that’s a little stressful. Maybe i could just keep that one hen in the coup and let them see each other through the wiring.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

We live in South Carolina, so pretty warm. I’m a little worried, there’s one hen in particular that’s proven herself untrustworthy. She’s tried to kill my broody hens babies, oh but boy did she get it, that mama hen got mad. She chased the entire flock out of the yard and into the woods. She came back and foraged with her babies, but these chicks only have me to protect them and that’s a little stressful. Maybe i could just keep that one hen in the coup and let them see each other through the wiring.

That's a good idea. Usually I end up selling hens that are violent towards chicks since my girls like to go broody a lot. If you don't plan on having babies often, though, that would be a good compromise. If you have enough space, they will just learn to avoid her until they're big enough to challenge her (if they choose to do so).

 

[MotherHen75]

That's a good idea. Usually I end up selling hens that are violent towards chicks since my girls like to go broody a lot. If you don't plan on having babies often, though, that would be a good compromise. If you have enough space, they will just learn to avoid her until they're big enough to challenge her (if they choose to do so).

We have four acres, i don’t plan on having chicks every year so i’ll probably keep her. She’s a relatively good layer. But she’s also at the bottom of the pecking order, that might explain her attitude. Im hoping these bantams might bump her up on the order and she’ll be nicer.

 

[Chickassan]

How old is she? I have one here like that but she did get better around two. I still kind of keep an eye on her though even though the current rooster wouldn't tolerate her attacking chicks.

We live in South Carolina, so pretty warm. I’m a little worried, there’s one hen in particular that’s proven herself untrustworthy. She’s tried to kill my broody hens babies, oh but boy did she get it, that mama hen got mad. She chased the entire flock out of the yard and into the woods. She came back and foraged with her babies, but these chicks only have me to protect them and that’s a little stressful. Maybe i could just keep that one hen in the coup and let them see each other through the wiring.

 

[MotherHen75]

How old is she? I have one here like that but she did get better around two. I still kind of keep an eye on her though even though the current rooster wouldn't tolerate her attacking chicks.

She’s a year old.

 

[Chickassan]

She might just be immature, younger birds are often more aggressive with the kids some worse than others.

She’s a year old.