Advice on roosters

[SueT]

Cochins generally have a sweet temperament. I had a bantam Cochin rooster and he was a gentleman, a joy to have around.
BTW, are you concerned about eating fertile eggs? Or?

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

I personally always enjoy having roosters around but it really depends on your preference.
Here is an article that is really helpful! It goes through the pros and cons of keeping a rooster and personal experience: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/should-you-get-a-rooster.73955/

Good luck

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

I recently ended up with a bunch of surprise roosters (at nine weeks old I've got four crowing and two more I suspect will start soon too)! I'm planning on keeping a few of them (so I stocked up on a lot more pullets!) but the one from my crew I just can't give up is my black Bantam Cochin!! He's the sweetest little creature ever and so cute!!!! They're like the perfect cross between a cat and a bunny! Your little guy is so adorable, I hope you can keep him!!!

Here's my little Valentino:

 

[BreanneRN]

Well, I think 1 rooster is not a bad thing, especially a Cochin... They are a slower developing bird, mine don't seem to crow very much! They are actually a little bit lazy! But Cochins are known for being very gentle and good pets. Don't be afraid to keep him for awhile. The more time you spend with him, the easier to handle he will be... And it's not like with birds birth control is a problem. You either let your eggs hatch or you collect/eat them. And with 12 hens, you have plenty to keep him occupied. It sounds like you are fond of him and he could be a good pet. Some roosters are wonderful to the hens, calling them over whenever they find a tasty bug or treat. My splash cochin rooster is 3 months and still hasn't crowed yet. He is quite a lazy bird, but very sweet.

 

[Krazyquilts]

Here's when my roo was helping a layer, he does stuff like this all the time, he also sings the egg song with them like a proud papa

Looks like an Orpington! I love my Orpington boys! (And the girls too, of course.) Orpington roosters are the best.

 

[chickennana51]

Cochins generally have a sweet temperament. I had a bantam Cochin rooster and he was a gentleman, a joy to have around.
BTW, are you concerned about eating fertile eggs? Or?

i typically gather daily, but i know some of my friends who get eggs from me are a bit squeamish about eating a fertile egg.

 

[Folly's place]

Embryos only develop when the eggs are kept under a broody hen, or in an incubator, consistently at about 100F. Otherwise, it's just an egg, and nobody who's not looking will see a difference.
Don't lie, but don't bring it up either. Unless there's some religious issue it doesn't matter at all.
All my eggs are fertile, as I have four roosters in my flock. No complaints around here, anyway.
Mary

 

[SueT]

i typically gather daily, but i know some of my friends who get eggs from me are a bit squeamish about eating a fertile egg.

A BYC member posted a couple months ago that, on a whim, she put some eggs from Walmart in her incubator, and one of them hatched! So your friends may have eaten many a fertile egg without ever realizing it. I would gently educate them on the absurdity of their squeamishness, and save that sweet rooster!

 

[Krazyquilts]

I got baby chicks the first week of May and because of the quantity, i got a free black cochin chick. i'm in love with the little boogar! so sweet! the only thing is i'm pretty sure my free chick is a roo rather than a hen. i will have 12 mixed variety hens, but i have always steered away from keeping a roo because of noise, attitude and not wanting fertilized eggs. they will all be in a large coop with a 12x12 enclosure. just curious what others do that have roosters?

Personally, I don't know why people DON'T want to have at least one rooster. (Assuming they are allowed to where they live.) A good rooster takes care of the hens by ushering them around, finding them treats, protecting them. I enjoy listening to them crow too, but we have no close by neighbors so I don't have to worry about anyone else being annoyed by their "singing."

Not all roosters are good roosters, of course. We recently dispatched a very bad one that belonged to a friend because the rooster was attacking their little kids! They bought two well-behaved, polite cockerels from us and are just head over heels in love with the little guys. And since previously, those two cockerels were in our "cock flock" (all males, no females), the cockerels are just thrilled to have pretty hens to tend to and people of their own to fawn over them and spoil them.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

I love having a rooster! Ours is very well-mannered, and he's such a gentleman with his hens. I love to watch him show them the nesting boxes, or share little morsels he finds. He's very watchful, if he sees anything he corrals them into the coop.

If you decide to keep him I love this article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/beekisseds-rooster-speak.73664/