Will My Rooster Ever Accept New Hens?

[Peaches Lee]

I have a 1 year old Orpington rooster (Kingsley) that is the sweetest most bestest boy ever! But....he doesn't like the 3 new Orp hens that have moved in. He himself is a Jubilee, his original flock consisted of 1 white Cochin, 1 Swedish Flower, 1 Jubilee Orp and 1 Blue Splash Orp. The new hens are Lav Orps and are 1 year old. Which is a total of 6 hens for him as the Blue Splash got moved out due to hatching chicks.

I knew when they first got introduced there would be peck order establishing going on, but it's been like 4 months now (or more, I can't remember the exact date I made the move), and he still won't let them eat or be near him or his established hens if they're at the feed bowl.

Everyone has access to feed and water, but he has no rooster behaviors towards them like making sure they get treats before him (he's always done this with his favorites) or food before him and actively bites them and chases them (the new hens) away.

The hens all get along and are quite cordial with each other.

So, anyways, I would like to add more Jubilee hens to his pen to hatch out some pure Jubilee chicks, but I'm concerned he wont take to them. Is this an idea I should even entertain? Will he accept new hens that are younger than a year? Is this normal rooster behavior? I feel like my other roosters would be a little stand offish to new hens but eventually relax and accept them as part of the flock, but, Kingsley is just a mystery I guess. Any ideas?

 

[azygous]

For starters, you're expecting too much too soon. These birds are all young, and it takes time to establish the sort of relationships you are craving.

The rooster is still young and probably unsure of himself. He's relating to the new hens as strangers and invaders. Hormones usually exert their influence to overcome this, but it's the worst possible time of year for that. The days are too short to get the hormones stirred up.

What I suggest is that you intervene as little as possible, provide plenty of feeding stations so the hens can get food by running to another feed bowl as the roo chases them away from one. I can almost guarantee that you will see a happy orgy of mating come early spring.

 

[Peaches Lee]

Thank you for your thoughtful response. So, you think adding Jubilee pullets in spring would be okay? I did think that this time of the year isn't helping at all (ugh I swear it went from gorgeous autumn to North Pole overnight). I do see him seeing these new hens as "invaders" LOL!