# Introducing...



## Mamachickof14 (Aug 28, 2012)

I have a 6 month old rooster I am introducing to 18 hens...any advice? So far I have put them all together but the girls are being so mean to him...chasing him and pecking at him. Should I just give them time? They all slept in the same coop last night and there hasn't been no blood! I just feel sorry for him??! Jen


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## kessy09 (Jun 16, 2013)

Mamachickof14 said:


> I have a 6 month old rooster I am introducing to 18 hens...any advice? So far I have put them all together but the girls are being so mean to him...chasing him and pecking at him. Should I just give them time? They all slept in the same coop last night and there hasn't been no blood! I just feel sorry for him??! Jen


I would imagine it should be the same as introducing any new chicken to the bunch. Quarantine the newbie for a period of time to watch for illness. Then give them visuals of each other but still separate for a week, then put him in the coop overnight when they're least likely to notice him. Everyone should have ample space. Do you free range at all? Once quarantine and the first bit of side by side visual is done I just plan on letting them all into my yard to free range together an hour or so before bedtime and just see who goes to which coop together. I heard its easier on the new one to introduce more than one chicken at a time so the whole flock isn't focussing on the one chicken. I have 30 eight week olds I'm trying to introduce to 3x14 week olds and I've never done this before so I'm worried too. Good luck!


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## Mamachickof14 (Aug 28, 2012)

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly...Where we got him from it looked like a really nice place. Husband being so anxious put him right in with the girls...no major problems yet but the girls do chase him around. I will let you know.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Time will take care of it...and soon they will not chase him but follow him. He just has to work his way up the pecking order and that will happen faster when he starts to breed the flock.


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