Integrating new hens or keeping a separate flock for my second rooster

[chickentowns]

I have a flock of 12 hens and 2 roosters. They are all roughly 8 months old. One of the roosters is clearly dominant. The other spends his day on the outskirts of the flock or with the occasional hen if they can find privacy. The only time he seems to have much company is in the evening when 3-4 of the hens roost with him. But during the day, all the hens tend to hang together with the dominant rooster.

I was recently given 2 more hens, brining my total to 14 hens and 2 roos. I’m wondering if I should integrate the new hens into the flock, or keep them separate giving my non-dominant rooster his own mini flock.

Months ago, I successfully integrated 4 other hens into the flock in an attempt to improve my hen-rooster ratio, and they integrated fine. I’m not necessarily concerned if they will integrate well, but more interested in if I should give my other rooster his own “separate flock.”

I put him in with the new girls yesterday and he seemed happy to have company. He even crowed a few times for the first time in months.

*Note: My chickens don’t free range at this time. Our coop setup is too close to the road for my comfort. They have a large 50 x 30 run off one side of the coop, and a smaller 20 x 20 off the other side. My coop has a “hallway” that allows the chickens to go from one run to the other as they choose, but I could easily separate it and have a rooster on each side with his own hens.

 

[triciayoung]

I have a flock of 12 hens and 2 roosters. They are all roughly 8 months old. One of the roosters is clearly dominant. The other spends his day on the outskirts of the flock or with the occasional hen if they can find privacy. The only time he seems to have much company is in the evening when 3-4 of the hens roost with him. But during the day, all the hens tend to hang together with the dominant rooster.

I was recently given 2 more hens, brining my total to 14 hens and 2 roos. I’m wondering if I should integrate the new hens into the flock, or keep them separate giving my non-dominant rooster his own mini flock.

Months ago, I successfully integrated 4 other hens into the flock in an attempt to improve my hen-rooster ratio, and they integrated fine. I’m not necessarily concerned if they will integrate well, but more interested in if I should give my other rooster his own “separate flock.”

I put him in with the new girls yesterday and he seemed happy to have company. He even crowed a few times for the first time in months.

*Note: My chickens don’t free range at this time. Our coop setup is too close to the road for my comfort. They have a large 50 x 30 run off one side of the coop, and a smaller 20 x 20 off the other side. My coop has a “hallway” that allows the chickens to go from one run to the other as they choose, but I could easily separate it and have a rooster on each side with his own hens.

Thank you for this post - you illustrated your situation well. I have a similar situation. I have three roosters and 20 hens. I would separate them and give your non-dominant rooster at least 5-6 hens. You could get away with 3 if he is a bantam. He will be happy he has his own flock.