Who to integrate

[Stellablue32]

Hi everyone.

I have a flock of 4 adult chickens (one very well behaved and very handsome rooster and three hens). The rooster and one hen are Gauloise Dorée and the other two hens are North Holland Blues (I live in France, so a European flavour to the chickens here!)

I also now have 4 chicks (Gauloise roo x North Holland hen) that are now 8 weeks old. They are currently in a smaller pen inside the main enclosure, and have been there for two weeks. I'm not planning to integrate them fully for another two weeks at least.

Two of the chicks are obviously male, and two are female. I'm going to keep the two males (as long as I can!) and eventually they will move to a separate large enclosure out of sight from the others. My question is whether I should split those two off without integrating into the main flock at all, or if it's better for them to spend a couple of months being taught manners by the older hens, then removing them before they become an issue with the established roo.

Would welcome any advice and thanks in advance.

 

[sourland]

I'd give a try at integrating all four with a Plan B in mind. If problems occur, be prepared to move them to their own pen/area.

 

[Mrs. K]

A lot depends on your set up, space and how that space is arranged. Integration goes best with a lot of clutter in the run so that birds can get out of sight and multiple feed bowls. If you are least bit short on space, I would separate sooner than later.

I frequently have had a mature rooster and cockerel chicks in a flock. It works just fine until it doesn't. One needs to be very aware - and one really needs plan B set up and ready to go. It doesn't work to wait for the wreck to start building.

But I think your question is their success in life going to be due to either being separated from the flock, or integrated into the flock. IMO either scenario has equal chance of succeeding, which ever works best with you. I find that about 12 weeks is where you really begin to need to separate them, but some can go longer, some cannot.

However, not all roosters get along, not all bachelor pens work. A lot depends on the individual aspect of the birds.

Wait - I think you said they are 8 weeks, you are going to wait 2 more weeks...they will be 10 weeks - you know, I think I would just separate them from the get go. Maybe even before that - as they might start harassing your pullets soon, especially if they are in a small cage.

Mrs K

 

[Stellablue32]

Thank you for your thoughts. I really am in two minds!

Their enclosure is large (15m x 15m or more) and there is plenty of clutter! Here are the parents with their 4 babies in the background.

 

[Ridgerunner]

When I raise cockerels and pullets in a flock with a dominant rooster and mature hens I get different results.

1. Everything may remain really peaceful. No drama between the cockerels and the hens or the rooster. Usually the boys will try to mate the pullets when the boys hit puberty which may be relatively peaceful or pretty rough. The rooster or hens do not bother the cockerels.

2. The cockerels may try to mate the adult hens once they mature to a certain point. Typically the hens run to the mature rooster who scares cockerels away. Not a lot of drama but some excitement.

3. When a cockerel harasses a hen the rooster and cockerel get into a real fight. I don't see the hens beating up the cockerels. They let the rooster take care of it. I don't see the hens beating up a cockerel if there is a mature rooter in the flock. If a hen and cockerel get in a fight, the rooster quickly breaks it up and chases the cockerel away.

When I raise cockerels and pullets in a flock with mature hens but without a mature rooster I get different results.

1. The boys don't bother the hens but may go after the pullets once the boys hit puberty. Things are pretty peaceful.

2. The boys want to mate the hens. The hens may cooperate. No drama.

3. The boys want to mate the hens. Some hens may cooperate but the head hen is not allowing that. She knocks the boy off and he runs away. Not a lot of drama. He is not mature enough to stand up to the hen.

4. Same scenario but he stands up to the hen. They fight. If he wins, he is now the flock master. If she wins she is still the flock master.

5. The dominant hen may go out of her way to beat up a cockerel. I practically never see this. If he survives he will eventually mature to the point that he wins a fight with her and becomes the flock master. I don't see any schooling or learning in this, they are just following their instincts.

My point in all of this is that you don't know how it will turn out. You have to be ready for everything.

What are your goals for those two cockerels when they grow up? Will each have their own flock of hens? That would be important to me in making my decisions. if you want them in the same flock as your current chickens I'd try to integrate them all. It's possible the three males will work out a compromise in how to take care of the flock. They may fight to the death. You never know.

If they are never going to be in the same flock as the current mature rooster I'd separate them and not take any chances of problems with the mature rooster. In my opinion they will not be schooled. How they will eventually react is based on instinct and the individual personalities of the cockerels and hens involved.

Good luck!