Will replacing your rooster make your hen flocks merge?

[Aboodles]

A bit over a month ago, I got a rooster and 2 hens. About 3 weeks ago, I got 2 more hens. Thing is that the new 2 hens have been behaving as their own flock; the rooster has no dominance over them, and they aren't laying (or maybe they are just really good at hiding their eggs, and the fact they have plenty of space doesn't help my search).

Now my dad says that perhaps if we replace our rooster, the new one will have dominance over all the 4 hens and he would basically make them a single flock rather quickly. We have been considering replacing our rooster anyway since it's an egg eater.

So would that work? is there anything I should know? I have zero experience with chickens but I have had a pigeons flock for ~5 years now so I have a lil bit of a background.

I attached a pic of their living space, and pics of the rooster and the 2 senior hens. I don't think I have pics of the newer ones on this device.

Thanks in advance and sorry if this was hard to read; English isn't my first language.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I honestly don’t know if replacing the rooster will make the flocks merge, but hopefully others will chime in soon.

 

[Mrs. K]

If this is your first time with chickens, I would just do the hens. Your new birds might not be laying do to age, or molt.

If you put a golf balls or egg size rock in the nest you want them to use, often times they will lay there.

It is not unusual for two strange flocks to act as if one is a sub flock, until both flocks are laying. I think time will straighten this out.

Mrs K

 

[red horse ranch]

Welcome to BYC Aboodles!

Chickens will have 'best friends' that they will hang around with most of the time. The new girls will eventually be accepted by the others. Just give them time.
A move to a new location can upset their laying for a while and it's possible that they aren't fully mature yet.

 

[junebuggena]

No, changing the social structure more will not help. They need time to get to know each other. Integrating flocks takes time. It's also very normal for hens to stop laying when moved to a new environment. Big changes cause stress. Stressed hens don't lay. Once they all adjust and settle in, they will start laying.

 

[Lutman_Chick]

To be brutal, if your rooster is an egg eater he has to go.. then you either have no rooster or are forced to get a new one, i don't know if the new one with have dominance over all 4 but it's worth finding out and saving your eggs from your egg eater.

 

[junebuggena]

Egg eating can be caused by insufficient protein intake.

 

[red horse ranch]

Or caused by boredom in confined quarters.

 

[Lutman_Chick]

Wont he always been an egg eater now, out of habit, even if the protein is sorted?

 

[Aboodles]

Egg eating can be caused by insufficient protein intake.

I have been feeding my flock high protein and calcium feed. Besides their feed, I have been feeding them the occasional tuna, nuts, scrambled eggs, chicken safe veggies and fruit, and cooked beans. I don't think there is a problem with their diet.

Some folk told me that if I were to cover the nest so it's darker it would help my case. I did that and his egg eating habit has declined, but it is still there. He eats less eggs now but the ones laid near the opening of the nest where he can see are eaten the moment he sees them.