Is a rooster a threat to chicks?

[JessesGirl]

I'm a new chicken mom with five chicks about 8 weeks old and four chicks/one rooster about 10 weeks old. I think. They are still little enough that I can pick them up with one hand....I'll just insert a pic. Also, I'm getting 18 babies from McMurray Hatchery on the 20th.

I have a friend who has an Orpington rooster that needs a home asap. He's full grown. Will he hurt my chicks? I've been told roosters kill chicks....of course these people have never raised a chicken but you know how folks love to hear their own advice. So I'm asking the experts - you guys!

My girls are completely free range but I have a coop which is divided in the middle so if separating them for a while would/could/should be done, I can handle that.

Oh! If i do take the rooster, should I keep him locked in the coop for any length of time until he learns this is his new home??

While I'm at it, one more question. I'll have two roosters and 27 chickens (I have two roos ordered for delivery the 20th but will cancel one if I can take the Orpington). Is that an ok ratio to keep the boys from fighting over the girls?

Thanks in advance for your help! Really, thank you SO much!

-Betsy

 

[Habibs Hens]

roos can and will kill chicks


for that matter hens will as well


1 roo to about 10 hens is good


all chicken should be quarantined for at least a week as a rule of thumb

this will allow for you to see any illnesses and not pass them to your flock

 

[JessesGirl]

If both sexes kill chicks then how do people successfully add new birds to their flocks?

 

[Habibs Hens]

If both sexes kill chicks then how do people successfully add new birds to their flocks?

you integrate them at 16 weeks old

starting at night as all chicken will roost together

when at 16 weeks if they get attacked they can stand up for them selves or run away

eventually becoming part of the flock under the higher ranking chicken

(Peking Order)

 

[Mattemma]

I added my hens at night at 16 weeks too. I had 3 older hens.Waited till they could get off the starter and onto layer food. Now my roo I just added in during the day and let the battle for top slot begin.The roo and hens were lookng at each other for a few weeks seperated by a fence.

 

[centrarchid]

The use of term "rooster" here is misleading. It is better to use cockerel / stag / immature male. Immature birds regardless of gender tend to be hard on smaller juveniles / chicks not of their social group. Even as adults hens are hard chicks / juveniles they do not perceive as being their own. With their own, hens are dotting parents. Roosters for me when fully mature are the most flexible members of a flock with respect to younger birds as they can become outright protective of younger birds and can benefit form taking in younger birds to increase their harem's size.

Ages of OP's birds means this is more of a flock integration issue. Treat as such by looking into flock integration procedures. You are working with tougher situation with smaller number of birds but you can do it.