When will my new Roo man up

[KYfreerange]

I started a new flock of 9 pullets. About 5 months old but not laying yet. They have their own coop and run separate from my other flock. No rooster with my young ones. I have another flock(my main original flock) that has 2 black marans Roos. Both flocks are mixed with Easter Eggers, RIR, Australops and a few Sussex. I wasnt going to add a roo to the new flock cause I figured they would eventually mingle with my other flock and everything would work out. Well, all of them are free range during the day. Coop locked down at night. I never knew chickens were so tight knit like this. My flocks wont have nothing to do with one another. Dont even get in the same pasture or space as the other ones do. They avoid each other. I was worried about predators getting my young flock because they stray alot farther away than my veterans. They like to hang in one of my patches of woods mostly. So I decided I would get a roo to keep an eye on them. I got a creme legbar. He's also 5 months old. I've had him 4 days now. He stays in the coop alone while the pullets go off and range. He had it out with my head girl on day one. She backed down giving him the reins. Hes also somewhat of a jerk to the littlest 2 pullets, as in he pecks them for even getting close to him and he dont roost with none of them. Same roost just opposite sides. Huge gap in between. The roo came from a setup very similar to mine. Free range and numerous flocks. I didnt think there would be this much of a learning curve for him. Any suggestions on how to get him to step up and do his job?

 

[TelfTheElf]

He will probably still just be getting used to the girls...4 days is still quite new!!

 

[Dec17]

Time just let him settle in if your girls have never had a roo then they won’t know where to let him stand they will soon learn that he is the boss I find this when I introduced a new roo to my flock for mating season it took him a week or so to settle in he did the same as yours he separated from them and then the ladies let him in and if he stays in just force him out to the ladies and with you two pullets Roos can do that sometime he’s just telling them where he stands mine all do it on occasion and I have 8 there all the same but once he settles in he will protect his flock and I will guarantee that

 

[Shezadandy]

My first roo hid in a nesting box for a week after the girls beat him down into a corner. He figured things out and it was all fine in the end.

 

[cluckcluckhens]

Having new chicks this year I did not let them mingle right away. I put the chicks at two weeks old in the run with the Hens in their own little run. Hens would visit the chicks all day and could see them. After two more weeks we set them free into the main run. Those chicks learned they are not the boss. Mine get along fine by doing this. You have to slowly let your main flock see the chicks and be around them but not with them. I had a run inside of a run which helped allot. Hens would visit through out the day and just sit and watch them. Then I figured out among the chicks we had a cockerel so all grew up together. They looked so small in the main run. Hens put them in their place. They all get along as long as we do this. Chicks is now almost six months old and laying except one. Don't know why though.

 

[KYfreerange]

Lol. Yeah. It could always be worse. Getting whipped and sent to the nesting box is certainly worse. I've never had much of a predator problem here though coyotes are plentiful. Up until 6 months ago I had the best LGD you could ask for. A monster German shepherd. He would come trotting into the farm weekly it seemed carrying a coyote in his mouth. Jerk it around and roll on it for me to see. In the end it was a pack that got him. Had to put him down he was too chewed up. Now that my heart is feeling it I'm thinking real hard about another dog. A pyrenees maybe.

 

[KYfreerange]

Having new chicks this year I did not let them mingle right away. I put the chicks at two weeks old in the run with the Hens in their own little run. Hens would visit the chicks all day and could see them. After two more weeks we set them free into the main run. Those chicks learned they are not the boss. Mine get along fine by doing this. You have to slowly let your main flock see the chicks and be around them but not with them. I had a run inside of a run which helped allot. Hens would visit through out the day and just sit and watch them. Then I figured out among the chicks we had a cockerel so all grew up together. They looked so small in the main run. Hens put them in their place. They all get along as long as we do this. Chicks is now almost six months old and laying except one. Don't know why though.

I ha

Having new chicks this year I did not let them mingle right away. I put the chicks at two weeks old in the run with the Hens in their own little run. Hens would visit the chicks all day and could see them. After two more weeks we set them free into the main run. Those chicks learned they are not the boss. Mine get along fine by doing this. You have to slowly let your main flock see the chicks and be around them but not with them. I had a run inside of a run which helped allot. Hens would visit through out the day and just sit and watch them. Then I figured out among the chicks we had a cockerel so all grew up together. They looked so small in the main run. Hens put them in their place. They all get along as long as we do this. Chicks is now almost six months old and laying except one. Don't know why though.

I kept my little ones in a cage for 4 days in the main coops run. To get introduced. Well. I decided it was time so I let 3 of my little ones out. Bad move. I almost couldn't get to them all in time to save them. It was going to be a massacre. That was the last time I tried that one. Should have given more time. It just kills my soul to keep my girls in a cage.

 

[cluckcluckhens]

Maybe more time. Could be some breeds do better than others. Ours is not free range but they have a 10x20 run.

So sorry this happened at least they are all fine.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@aart, would you explain the "see-don't-touch" method of integrating please?

I agree, four days is way too soon to expect such a young rooster to jump in and do anything. There has to be a "getting acquainted" period, then an acceptance period, during which there may be some challenges, which you have seen here already, where the hens (or a hen) kind of demand that he prove himself worthy. It's a lot like with people. Patience is key. They'll all know when they're ready and not much you can do to rush things.

 

[bobbi-j]

First of all, you don't have a rooster, you have a cockerel. He's still a youngster himself and has no idea what he's supposed to be doing. And he's at the age where he's likely to become obnoxious toward the pullets because he will be sexually mature before your pullets. His cockerel-brain is saying, "Breed, breed, breed!" While the pullets are still in the "WHAT are you doing??" stage.