# Roosters and peeps



## sandra (Sep 2, 2012)

I have two question. I have a rooster who is 1 year old now and I have a batch of babies. I have one chick about 4 1/2 weeks old. Baby chick has been around rooster and he sees baby but has never gone after baby. I don't know if baby is boy or girl. Can roosters and hens tell the sex of the young? The hens see baby and are letting baby know baby is low bird on totem pole, but rooster calls baby over and shows baby food like he does hens. 2nd question, when can you put juveniles with established flock?


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## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

I'm sure they know what sex the little ones are, but it doesn't become an issue until the little one becomes sexually mature. As far as putting the little one in an existing flock, I would wait until it is roughly the same size as the others. But there are others that say to go ahead and put them in there and watch and see what happens, make sure that no mean pecking goes on.


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## sandra (Sep 2, 2012)

fuzziebutt said:


> I'm sure they know what sex the little ones are, but it doesn't become an issue until the little one becomes sexually mature. As far as putting the little one in an existing flock, I would wait until it is roughly the same size as the others. But there are others that say to go ahead and put them in there and watch and see what happens, make sure that no mean pecking goes on.


I've let e dry one together with strict supervision. I am mother hen with baby. My birds are cage free. They only go night night in coop or lay eggs other than that they are out from sun up to sun down. Baby is is a baby safe coop so nothing can get to baby. I have an unusual situation. I have the one baby as she was a special gift to me. My other babies are only three days old and there are 27 of them. The one baby is spoiled rotten. She is with me at least eight hours a day. She doesn't leave my side if she doesn't have too. She's just different. I am assuming she is a she, I could be wrong.

Would a rooster go after a baby if it were male or on,u when sexually mature?


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