kcal
Chirping
Looking for some help regarding an accidental rooster we acquired. Long story short (hopefully) - we bought a somewhat large number of new chicks (all pullets) to add to our flock this year because the demand for our eggs has grown so much. After a few weeks it became very obvious that one of them was mis-sexed and I wound up with one rooster by mistake. He has a very large comb and just started trying to crow (almost 8 weeks old now). So this brings me to my dilemma:
In the past, I was against having a rooster. I tried it out when I got my first chickens and it didn’t go well, so I wasn’t going to do it again. I have young children, but they don’t go in the run very often. However, although my chickens are typically in a large run, I do like to let them out every once in awhile for supervised free range time. This rooster has not shown any signs of aggression. In fact, so far he runs away from us any time we get close (I haven’t had as much time to socialize these newbies the way I have with past additions).
What I’m wondering is what opinions others have on trying to keep him. I don’t think it would be a bad idea to have him around to protect the hens. We used to keep goats in the same run with our chickens and they were a large deterrent to most of the small predators around here (weasels, coons, bobcats, and even hawks), but we recently sold our goats so I have been worried about those small predators becoming a problem. However, I know there’s always a risk with having a rooster, even the friendliest roosters, especially with kids around. Is it worth the risk? Our first rooster became aggressive enough with me that I had to bring a shovel any time I went into the pen. And he would even protect ME from the other hens if he felt one of them did something wrong. But I have read sometimes roosters are less likely to become aggressive when they’re raised in multigenerational flocks because the older, bigger hens will help put him in his place when he’s still smaller. Right now my 8 week olds are still separated from the rest of the flock. So do I wait and see how he does as he gets older? Or do I just assume the risk is too high since it’s hard to really ever fully trust a rooster?
Sorry for the lengthy post. I’m just unsure what to do. If I do decide not to keep him, I do have a friend nearby who has a very large flock and lots of experience with roosters that has said she would have no problem taking him. So if I decide not to keep him, it’s not like he would have to be culled.
In the past, I was against having a rooster. I tried it out when I got my first chickens and it didn’t go well, so I wasn’t going to do it again. I have young children, but they don’t go in the run very often. However, although my chickens are typically in a large run, I do like to let them out every once in awhile for supervised free range time. This rooster has not shown any signs of aggression. In fact, so far he runs away from us any time we get close (I haven’t had as much time to socialize these newbies the way I have with past additions).
What I’m wondering is what opinions others have on trying to keep him. I don’t think it would be a bad idea to have him around to protect the hens. We used to keep goats in the same run with our chickens and they were a large deterrent to most of the small predators around here (weasels, coons, bobcats, and even hawks), but we recently sold our goats so I have been worried about those small predators becoming a problem. However, I know there’s always a risk with having a rooster, even the friendliest roosters, especially with kids around. Is it worth the risk? Our first rooster became aggressive enough with me that I had to bring a shovel any time I went into the pen. And he would even protect ME from the other hens if he felt one of them did something wrong. But I have read sometimes roosters are less likely to become aggressive when they’re raised in multigenerational flocks because the older, bigger hens will help put him in his place when he’s still smaller. Right now my 8 week olds are still separated from the rest of the flock. So do I wait and see how he does as he gets older? Or do I just assume the risk is too high since it’s hard to really ever fully trust a rooster?
Sorry for the lengthy post. I’m just unsure what to do. If I do decide not to keep him, I do have a friend nearby who has a very large flock and lots of experience with roosters that has said she would have no problem taking him. So if I decide not to keep him, it’s not like he would have to be culled.
