Talk to me about roosters, please :)

[CKinNC]

I am a first time chicken owner. We brought home nine chicks this spring who are now ranging in age from 6-8 weeks old. We would like to let them range during at least a portion of the day, and would like to keep a rooster to help manage and protect them. So far, I am pretty certain that out of the nine (four are sex-linked pullets) we ended up with two cockerels. One is a blue Orpington and the other is a Black Copper Marans.

Sooo, what do I need to know about managing a rooster? I have read quite a bit of general info, but do any of you have any specific advice that you think would be particularly helpful to someone just starting out? I am assuming that I will need to cull one of the two at some point, any advice on determining which is a better candidate?

At this point, they are both young and only one is beginning to show dominant type behavior with the other birds (the BCM). I just want to make sure that I am doing the right things from the beginning to optimize my chances for having a good working relationship with whoever we end up with

Thanks in advance!

 

[Cockle-Dood]

keep an eye on them for a while. i have heard of smaller flocks getting along with multiple roosters, and since one of yours is an Orp they are typically pretty docile so yours may get along. who knows, with another hen or 2 you might be able to avoid getting rid of any!

 

[Eggcessive]

Marans can be more aggressive, but not always. Make your plans with what you are going to do with the extra guy now, because if he shows human aggression or they start driving all the hens and you crazy at 5-6 months of age (and they will,) you need to know what you are going to do. No matter how gorgeous that cockerel is, you may find that no one wants him, and if someone wants him free, don't be greedy. Your hens will be bare-backed soon after they start breeding with that many roos, even if they get along fine. Since the marans is acting more dominant, he will probably be the main man. I would pick the nice one, and hope he is the best-looking.

 

[donrae]

I agree, you'll only want one rooster for that many hens. Your hens will thank you for it!

As far as the rooster, my best advice is NOT to try to make him a pet. Start now letting him know you're the boss of him. I don't mean in a mean way, but make him get out of your way when you walk through the flock. Don't let him approach you unless you call him to you. Always keep in mind he's going to get horribly hormonal around 5-7 months and don't let him get by with a thing! Every time you're around him, make him move out of your way. This is what an older roo or even dominant hen would do to him to keep him in his place. Treat him with respect but don't be overly friendly with him. If you're determined to have pet birds, please just get rid of the roosters.

 

[CKinNC]

Thanks so much for these replies! This is just the sort of thing I was looking for. I am being very realistic about the fact that one of them will probably have to go. I'm not sure if I can go through the process of putting one on the table yet. I'm not opposed to the idea at all, just squeamish, I guess. It really is too bad that the blue Orpington isn't a hen, but I knew all along that it was very unlikely that I would only end up with one rooster.

donrae: Thanks so much for the advice on how to handle (or not handle) them. I have read many conflicting opinions - some say to handle them all the time, others say to give them their space. I am honestly not particularly interested in turning them into pets. I have children to mother, so any animals around here need to have a job Because of the kids, however, I want to make sure I do whatever I can to have the best chances of ending up with a gentleman. Anything else will have to go.

 

[Mrs. K]

How old are your children? Roosters often attack young children with little or no warning, they make roosters nervous, and roosters do not see young children as too big to attack. If your youngest is not older than 5, I would not keep either rooster.

Really for a first time owner, I recommend that you just keep the hens. Hens are perfectly happy without a roo.

If you free range them for most of the day, as in nearly or all of the daylight hours, a Rooster will help with flock protection, but not until the rooster is about 1 year old..... until, then he is like a teenager, all about the fun, not too interested in the responsibility.

but it you have young children, I would strongly encourage you to wait, until they are older, and you have more chicken experience.

Mrs K

 

[bj taylor]

i'm with mrs. k. roosters can be a big handful & could be disastrous if children are involved. I had so much more harmony in my world before I had a rooster. my chickens free range & I want a degree of self sufficiency that fertilized eggs bring - otherwise I would not have a rooster.
I currently have a one yr old black australorp. he's huge. he's very hard on the girls. I've got young ones coming up and I've got a mama with two new babies & a single hen that came to me by accident. i'm facing having to cull this rooster because he is too aggressive for my flock.

 

[donrae]

You're welcome. The big thing to watch for is them coming at you (or your kids) from behind. That turning away and walking away from them movement seems to be what triggers 90% of rooster attacks. You'll hear folks say they were fine in the coop or flock doing their chores, facing the rooster. It's when they turn to leave he flogs the crap out of the back of your legs. Somehow that just turns their little brains into attack mode, I don't know why. Glad to hear you're not looking for pets, I always cringe when folks want to make a pet of a rooster. Best of luck to you with your flock!

 

[Spice Glen Hens]

We have had at least 100 roosters here in the last year.
We always keep at least 10 different breed roosters in their own coops with their breed hens.

We choose the roosters we keep by how friendly they are and of course their value as pure breed males.
How beautiful they are is important. But, I have had roosters spur my legs and bite me while doing normal routines and chores..
They should never attack with spur or beak if you enter the coop.
I try to turn the other cheek a bit with some of them that just got carried away, but you never forget being cut by a rooster.
His days are numbered if he cuts me.

To choose between your two, wait until one is the mean one. Give him away to a hungry family.
If you need a specific breed rooster it can be a big pain getting, raising and waiting to see if a roo can be kept.

I keep extras.

Until at 4 AM the crowing of 17 roosters is too much.

Then you make decisions on several levels

1) Do I need him?
2) Breed and beauty
3) Freindly
And the first to go
4) Spurred me before

I think roosters are very important to keep with hens.

So, I pick the nice ones.

 

[Lorien]

I don't have much to add that hasn't been said except this: The first accidental rooster we had pecked my baby and was dinner two days later. I wasn't sure I could process my own birds, but he gave me a reason!