It all depends on how soon you want fertile eggs. I keep a closed flock, so getting a mature roo from CL is not an option for me, no matter how nice a roo it might be. But, if you're not keeping a closed flock, and are willing to take the risk bringing an adult bird into your flock, you could certainly go that route. In that case, I'd go to see the bird, check out the care the flock is receiving. Do they ALL look healthy? How does this roo interact with his flock mates? Then, and only then, I'd make the decision to bring him home. I'd be sure to give him a good dusting with a miticide before adding him to my flock. It's recommended to do a 4 week quarantine, but... Unless you're serious about that, you're wasting your time with it. Serious = keeping the new bird separated x 50 - 100' at all times, in an area that your other birds can't get near, changing clothes and shoes when moving between your flock and new bird(s), sterilizing all equipment including waterers, feeders and tools and not moving that equipment back and forth between flocks. In a multi age flock, the older hens and/or roo school the youngsters in proper manners. So, often a cockrel who has been raised in a flock will have the older hens beating the snot out of him, so he's not as likely to be aggressive when he does start breeding.Thanks! So is it better to raise a roo from a chick than get a mature one and add to the flock? Just Getting my flock started over here and was thinking about giving one of those poor free roosters on Craigslist (or in the rehome section here) a home.