Roosters can be odd. Some are very docile and can be as loving as a hen, others can attack you. This is all normal rooster behaviour. To keep a rooster or not to keep a rooster, that is the question. Well, what breed do you want? Where do you live? What do you want a rooster for? How will you house him? These are all questions you must ask yourself. If you want to keep a Barred Plymouth Rock rooster I would advise you to look into it some more. I once had a Barred Rock rooster and he was so aggressive he would try to kill you! Barred Rocks are known for their aggression (Not hens just roosters), so watch out! The simple truth is, that all breeds can be aggressive. Aggressive roosters, in my opinion belong in the stew pot. The next question is, Where do you live? If you live in a big city laws might not let you have a rooster, because of their noise. So check the rules, and be sure you are legal. What do you want a rooster for? Do you want a rooster for Breeding, keeping your hens in line, or just for your wake up call? Hens don't need to be "kept in line" by a rooster, that is what you are for. An alarm clock will do fine as a wake up call. But if you are breeding, a rooster is a
good idea!
Above: Crowing is a call to say "I won the fight" or "This is my flock".
How are you going to house your rooster? This is a question that has to be answered. Roosters can be with the entire flock but mating, abuse, and aggression in many cases will come about. To much mating will cause bare spots on the backs of hens and the hens can also become scared of the rooster. If the rooster is with hens he can start to become greedy and become "Boss" over the flock which will come out as aggression towards you! Aggressive roosters can hurt adults, injure children, and give them a HUGE scare. Believe me, children will cry and cry after they have just been attacked by a big mean rooster. Putting a rooster in a breeding cage is great idea, and when you want to breed you just let some hens in when you want to breed it is a very controlled environment you're rooster will be easy to catch and won't be able to hurt the hens, you, or your children. Breeding cages are very easy to build, and big box will suffice. Also, you should keep in mind that two roosters will fight so keeping two roosters is ill advised.
Keeping a rooster Pros vs. Cons:
Pros
Breeding is always an option
Wake up call in the morning
Keeps the hens "in line"
Can be a nice addition to the flock
Annoys your neighbours (Just kidding)
Cons
City laws may not let you keep one
Aggressive roosters stink
Hens can get beat up
Roosters can be quite hard to handle with their wild nature
If you already have a rooster they will fight
Very loud with all that crowing
The bottom line is, if your going to breed you need a rooster, if you aren't going to breed, think long and hard about keeping a rooster, it could be a mistake. So whatever you do don't jump into things you don't know about!
good idea!
Above: Crowing is a call to say "I won the fight" or "This is my flock".
How are you going to house your rooster? This is a question that has to be answered. Roosters can be with the entire flock but mating, abuse, and aggression in many cases will come about. To much mating will cause bare spots on the backs of hens and the hens can also become scared of the rooster. If the rooster is with hens he can start to become greedy and become "Boss" over the flock which will come out as aggression towards you! Aggressive roosters can hurt adults, injure children, and give them a HUGE scare. Believe me, children will cry and cry after they have just been attacked by a big mean rooster. Putting a rooster in a breeding cage is great idea, and when you want to breed you just let some hens in when you want to breed it is a very controlled environment you're rooster will be easy to catch and won't be able to hurt the hens, you, or your children. Breeding cages are very easy to build, and big box will suffice. Also, you should keep in mind that two roosters will fight so keeping two roosters is ill advised.
Keeping a rooster Pros vs. Cons:
Pros
Breeding is always an option
Wake up call in the morning
Keeps the hens "in line"
Can be a nice addition to the flock
Annoys your neighbours (Just kidding)
Cons
City laws may not let you keep one
Aggressive roosters stink
Hens can get beat up
Roosters can be quite hard to handle with their wild nature
If you already have a rooster they will fight
Very loud with all that crowing
The bottom line is, if your going to breed you need a rooster, if you aren't going to breed, think long and hard about keeping a rooster, it could be a mistake. So whatever you do don't jump into things you don't know about!
