When to integrate...

Here's a BYC page that might help you. Scan through it to find the parts that apply to your unique situation...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock

 

I integrated two flocks of 3 birds each. The first were about a year when I added on. During the day I did put the three younger ones in a large dog cage inside the coop. They had their own food/water, but the two flocks could definitely see eachother. I did this daily for a week. Then I let out one chicken from the old flock and one from the new flock into the yard. They mostly ignored eachother. I kept switching them out for another week. Then I let out all three young hens and only one older hen in the yard. Took turns with the older ones going solo with the youngsters. Then I mixed two and two, then I finally mixed three and three. It was a total of about a month, but we had no problems. There is still a pecking order, but there was not a lot of fighting. Then for about a month afterwards, I had two food dishes and set them on either side of the coop--gave each group a chance to eat without fighting for food.

Worked like a charm.

 

Thanks, buff hooligans, for that compilation of now to introduce new chickens to a flock. near the bottom of the page, there is one line that caught me aback as we are considering taking a young roo from a friend to keep his flock with just the roo's dad as the single male, and because we are down to 2 hens after losing 2 and since he seems to be qte a gentle fellow we thought he might be a good protector. Not sure we can go through the lengthy quarantine especially with a cold winner coming on and he would be alone without mates to keep warm...but the lone that got my attention was keeping a minimum of 10 hens per roo. We are never gnu to have that many hens....should we not consider a roo (ever)? That might be fine as I have mixed feelings about it but could you explain that number ratio more?

 

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The rooster/hen ratio is mostly to ensure fertility I think. If there are too many hens for one rooster to "cover" not everyone's egg gets fertilized. This is only a problem if you want to hatch all your eggs. Too many roosters is hard on the hens because they are constantly being jumped on and usually end up with missing feathers, and perhaps scratches. Roos that grow up together generally get along just fine, one may become dominant and mates all the hens while the less dominant rooster justs takes whatever he can grab while the other roo isn't looking or is busy elsewhere. I have several roos, and only two of them are "getting any". The only fighting is when a new roo is introduced, as I am in the process of doing. In order to get the hens, I had to take the rooster, nice big handsome fellow, but I mostly still keep them segregated. My original roo has gone through chicken wire barrier to get at the new guy! If you can let them free range, that is much easier on them all as they figure out pretty quickly who can go where without getting stomped. Isn't it fun??!!

 

Lauren< I forget how old are the chicks? I would put the young ones in a kennel or pen or their tank inside the Coop and see what happens. They will be adjusting to the dynamics of the Coop and vice versa and the temperature changes at the same time. In the past I have separated a section of my coop off and put young adolescents for a few weeks there and that has worked.

TrishK: I think the hen/Roo ratio in that information (which was very good by the way) was refering to adding another Roo to an existing flock of hens already with a Roo. In this case there needs to be extra hens so that each Roo can have his own harem as LaurenM said.

When there are Roos that have been raised together and the Breed doesn't require a large number of hens then you can get away with less hens. I would never let a Sicilian Buttercup Roo have only 6 or 8 hens, its just not enough for them. Poor girls would have bare backs and heads constantly.

But you are questioning even having a Roo. Are you taking him to help a friend or because you want a Roo. A Roo for 2 hens, that's not many for any breed I can think off. They can be a pain you know, even if they do look pretty cool. The only reason to have a Roo really is to have fertile eggs to hatch. Then you have to cull the chicks you don't want, either find them homes, or .... Their way of protecting is standing out there and Crowing while the hens run and hide if they can. I don't mean to be nay saying, but please think about why you are wanting a Roo.