What age to introduce new chickens to existing flock?

[BLT79]

how many hens are needed for 2 roosters. I will have to see if my feed store has that. never noticed it there before. thanks

 

[heartsizedfarm]

how many hens are needed for 2 roosters. I will have to see if my feed store has that. never noticed it there before. thanks

Each rooster would be happy with six to eight hens I think, if there's lots of room to range and keep out of each other's way, with a little "poaching " on the side. Your junior rooster will lose a few to the senior rooster over time, that's just life!

 

[aart]

Sometimes you can have multiple roosters and sometimes you can't.
Depends on the individual birds and the amount and kind of space they have.
Depends on your goals.
Why do you want more than one rooster?

 

[BLT79]

I didn't plan on having two. Didn't plan on any actually. The first one I got with his sister. Only had the two so couldn't separate them. In January we incubated 8 eggs and only got the one boy. Chicken math tells me I have to keep our only incubator success! I have no problem adding hens to keep these two. They are great roos and we love them!

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I didn't plan on having two. Didn't plan on any actually. The first one I got with his sister. Only had the two so couldn't separate them. In January we incubated 8 eggs and only got the one boy. Chicken math tells me I have to keep our only incubator success! I have no problem adding hens to keep these two. They are great roos and we love them!

I had two roosters get along just fine for the first year of their life, best buds actually, with only a few mimed fights to get the girls' attention. And I've heard of people for whom it stays that way. But in my case I had to separate them into two different coops and two different flocks at about sixteen months of age. One flock got the run and one flock got to free range on alternating days.

 

[aart]

I didn't plan on having two. Didn't plan on any actually. The first one I got with his sister. Only had the two so couldn't separate them. In January we incubated 8 eggs and only got the one boy. Chicken math tells me I have to keep our only incubator success! I have no problem adding hens to keep these two. They are great roos and we love them!

Depending on how much space and the numbers of hens you have, you might be able to keep both....only time and testing will tell for sure. Number of hens can help but sometimes territoriality/dominance just deifies all odds and one just might not want to share anything.

I tried it, it didn't work, not enough room I think...but I had a seclusion pen ready to keep the peace and Jr Roo was delicious. I've read tons of stories where they just couldn't get along in the same coop...and a few stories where it did work.....and lots of stories where it worked if they had separate coops/runs/harems. Breeders often keep their roos in bachelor quarters until they put them with the hens they want bred in breeding pens.

 

[BLT79]

I have two coops. I have a divider in their right now. Worst comes to worst, they go back to separation! Lol

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I have two coops. I have a divider in their right now. Worst comes to worst, they go back to separation! Lol

Good plan!

 

[olbupp]

Great advice here....now question...I have six 12 week olds and received five 8 week olds 3 days ago....I have them in runs with only screen wire between them. How long should I wait....should I wait for all to be about the same size? Wish I could free range but neighbor dogs/cats and hawks....but I do move the runs daily so they get fresh greens.

Also saw mention of feed for roos being different - how can I feed different food when they all live together? and, will younger birds eat the oyster shell before they should?

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Great advice here....now question...I have six 12 week olds and received five 8 week olds 3 days ago....I have them in runs with only screen wire between them. How long should I wait....should I wait for all to be about the same size? Wish I could free range but neighbor dogs/cats and hawks....but I do move the runs daily so they get fresh greens.

Also saw mention of feed for roos being different - how can I feed different food when they all live together? and, will younger birds eat the oyster shell before they should?

Certainly give them a week or two to see each other without physical interaction, then try them all together and see how it works out.
There will be a bit of pecking and squabbling, but if there's no blood, and no one particular hen getting the brunt of it, they should sort themselves out just fine.

I offer oyster shell free choice and they take it if they want it. I can't remember at what age the young ones started to "use". And true, I've never seen the rooster go for it. Hmmmm. So they know I'm sure what they need and when they need it. Rooster eats the same as everyone else. Can't imagine how I would serve him a special meal!