Introducing a new cockerel

[HappyHollyDays]

Big bad fox took Apricot my beautiful bantam cockerel yesterday morning. Went up to the orchard to find all the girls missing bar the very old banti and a pile of golden feathers behind the hen house.

I think he was defending the girls as any good husband would do and paid the price. The girls all came running when they realised it was me but they have been very clingy since and 2 refused to come out of the house this morning.

I spent ages refencing the run yesterday afternoon so I don't think it will happen again and would like to introduce a new boy next week.

Does anyone have any experience of putting a new cockerel with an established flock. I have 3 bantis, 1 Sussex star, 3 bluebells and 1 daisybell. I am worried that without a male the bigger girls will start to bully the smaller ones.

thanks

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Just do it- maybe not too young a boy though as older hens can bully a youngster. Sorry about you boy

 

[Clodagh]

Depends if he is old or young. If he is a boy that has just started treading, and assuming you are getting another bantam boy, I would put him in with only access to the large girls to start with so they teach him to ask nicely. If it is an older boy that knows his stuff then pop him in with the whole lot. They are most amarous first thing in the morning so personally I would put him in at lunchtime but some people would recommend last thing at night. What worries me about that is if he gets rough or nasty you are not there to call time out, if it starts at dawn.

 

[Clodagh]

Just do it- maybe not too young a boy though as older hens can bully a youngster. Sorry about you boy

That just proves that no two chicken people ever agree!! LOL! I have wyandottes and the boys would not be bullied, but I do see that with a quieter breed male that may be a problem.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

That just proves that no two chicken people ever agree!! LOL! I have wyandottes and the boys would not be bullied, but I do see that with a quieter breed male that may be a problem.

be like horse people then lol. Am talking about younger than say 6 months but haven't introduced a youngster this time of year when hormones are up. If I were getting one that already knew his job I'd want some assurances he was alright with girls first- mine are but not all of them are.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Thanks both, Apricot was a Wyandotte and he kept those girls in their place even the chickens, but then he obviously had ideas above his station.

I have seen a 12 month old White Wyandotte chicken rather than a bantam who looks lovely. The hens and the bantams live in separate houses anyway and I could always fence off a bit off for a new arrival until they all find their feet.

It's odd, if a hen dies they take no notice but they are very unsettled without him so I think I will just go for it and phone on Tuesday. Thanks for all your replies, it's helped me make up my mind.

 

[fallenangel123]

Sorry about the loss of your boy, bloomin foxes!!
I don't wish to hijack your thread but do you find having a cockerel in with the flock stops them picking on each other?

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Thank you Fallenangel123, I quite miss the cheeky chap.

Having a good cockerel keeps the hens from picking on each other and they can be quite brutal with a weaker or sick hen.

I had Apricot with his bantam girls before I got the hens and as they are so much bigger and can be a bit bossy with the little ones having him around kept them in check.

He was a bit love struck by them though and abandoned his bantams in the arc and moved in with the hens in the wooden house. Being half their size it was a bit comical watching him try to strut his stuff in the morning though.

Fortunately the girls appear a bit more settled today so I don't think the fox has been back since Saturday.