When is it ok to let my 1 year old roo in with my chicks?!

[Southern28Chick]

I have a 1 year old roo and 23 7 week old pullets. When do you think it would be ok to let them be together? I have him separated in his own area of the yard right now.

The other day I heard a strange sound coming from the chicken yard and I went over to investigate, It was Colonel Bok Bok (my roo) with a june bug in his mouth. He didn't eat it, he was calling to the girls and putting it on the ground then picking it back up and putting it down again and so on. The girls weren't paying him no mind though and of course he's in his pen and they couldn't get to him if they tried.

I know he likes them and they like him because when I let the girls out of their house in the morning they run to the fence to greet him and he clucks back at them.

I think he likes them for different reasons though. I think I should wait a little while longer because they're small and I don't want him to try and mate with them.

What do y'all think?

 

[Frozen Feathers]

I'd wait until they are closer to 20 weeks. Then they'll be big enough to handle his "attention".

 

[justusnak]

I agree, 20 weeks....or he will try to mate them, and could kill them. Roosters are Sooooo cute when they feed the hens. I just love watching mine do that.

 

[silkiechicken]

I concur, 20 weeks will be the safest, I push 14 weeks with mine, but, the roo has his older ladies to keep him happy so he ignores the young ones.

 

[Southern28Chick]

20 weeks, REALLY?! That seems like a really long time. Is that when they're old enough to mate? I'm new at all this...can you tell?

 

[Poultryisgood]

My roo's do that all the time if there is food they will pick it up and make these funny little noises and all the girls come running and they drop it its also funny watching my little bantam room he drops one wing all the way to the ground and does this cute little dance to impress them lol

 

[Poultryisgood]

20 weeks or shortly after is when they should star laying eggs