Hen or Rooster?

[gagirl1]

Is there any benefit to having a rooster? Do they serve any good purpose(other than being nice to look at)? And when you say to only keep them if they are nice, is that nice to people or nice to hens?

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

Roosters are good for the eyes to look at, and they also fertilize eggs, protect your flock, and take care of the ladies. They watch for predators and will protect the hens if a threat comes along. Well, any good roo will do all that stuff. Some may not be won over by the hens enough for them to mate and some roos are a bit cowardly, but many roosters can perform these tasks out of instinct. By saying "as long as he's nice", that means to both you and your flock.