When will I know if he is a good one?

[CSAchook]

He has turned out absolutely gorgeous! I am glad he has remained a decent fellow.

Thanks Banty! Couldn't have done it without you

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Are you broody hatching and then introducing? Usually a good roo will do the integration for you.

A good roo will recognize his hen with chicks and will watch over them chasing away nosy or overly assertive hens. He then incorporates them in the flock immediately. Mine is utterly cute with the littles...the day or two olds...and watches over them doing his little swoopy wing dance to keep momma and babes safe away from any hen that might want to chase mom due to her looking new in the flock after being absent for 3 weeks.

With purchased chicks, or incubated chicks, at 4 weeks, he should simply note their existence. You will likely have hazing from the older hens. It will depend upon his personality how much of that he allows. 4 weeks is a good age as they are mobile enough to hide if need be. Watch for over aggression though.

I have two different brooding strategies. My "regular" line, I simply coop hatch. My roo watches over momma while she broods then integrates and protects babes as momma introduces them.

My second coop is for my specialty line. That coop is better predator protected. I give my rooster special visitation rights, then hatch OE eggs under banty hens. Those chicks have fence visual to the flock. At about 10 weeks of age, I open the gate, and my rooster integrates everyone with the exception of the banties who I keep locked up for hawk protection.

My experience, with a good rooster, let him integrate everyone into the flock. A good boy will do that. A naughty boy will view the new birds as intruders or be indifferent to excessive hazing from the established hens.

LofMc

 

[aart]

My experience, with a good rooster, let him integrate everyone into the flock. A good boy will do that. A naughty boy will view the new birds as intruders or be indifferent to excessive hazing from the established hens.

Have had both these experiences, kinda wishing I still had that 'good boy'.
The one I have now acted like a total @SS towards the mama coming back into flock and towards some of the other hens too, never hurt the chicks but hasn't 'tended' to them either.

 

[CSAchook]

Are you broody hatching and then introducing? Usually a good roo will do the integration for you.

These are hatchery chicks. They are currently 3 weeks old and about to move into their own coop alongside the main run.

With purchased chicks, or incubated chicks, at 4 weeks, he should simply note their existence. You will likely have hazing from the older hens. It will depend upon his personality how much of that he allows. 4 weeks is a good age as they are mobile enough to hide if need be. Watch for over aggression though.

My experience, with a good rooster, let him integrate everyone into the flock. A good boy will do that. A naughty boy will view the new birds as intruders or be indifferent to excessive hazing from the established hens.

LofMc

I will keep a very close eye on them. Hopefully things go well and he makes the process easier rather than more difficult.

The one I have now acted like a total @SS towards the mama coming back into flock and towards some of the other hens too, never hurt the chicks but hasn't 'tended' to them either.

This is what I am afraid of But if necessary I have the means to separate him from the flock.



Thank you both for your advice!

 

[aart]

This is what I am afraid of But if necessary I have the means to separate him from the flock.

This wasn't bad enough to separate him....it was just annoying and disappointing.