All Roosters Crow Right? Any that do it less?

[jmbinfo]

As a VERY NEW chicken guy I am quickly getting an education.

ME: "I guess I need to buy some chickens and a rooster so I can get some eggs."

Guy Selling Chickens: "Son, you need some more learning before I'm sellin' you chickens."

Followed by lots of laughing.

Guy Selling Chickens: "You need 25 roosters to 1 chicken to get eggs."

Me: "Really???"

Guy Selling Chickens: "No, you fool. Like I said, you need some learnin'."

Me: "I don't really need the rooster right?"

Guy Selling Chickens: "Now you're catching on."

So, I live on about 2 acres that back up to a very wooded area. I am worried about hawks, snakes, coyotes, etc. all getting my chickens. I read that a rooster can help protect the flock but I'm worried my neighbors may not appreciate the rooster as much as I would. So, maybe there is a "less noisey" breed? Prolly not but thought I'd give it a shot.

JB

 

[Illia]

In my experience, there aren't many breeds truly more quiet than others. Now, I find gamey bantams louder than, say, Cochins, but most breeds are about the same. The real difference is just in the individual. But, if you don't want to upset the neighbor, the best thing to do is get a bigger breed of rooster, that way their crow has a deeper, less annoying pitch. There's no guarantee on how often he'll crow though, but there are variables that can set him off. Things like unknown people or animals, loud sounds, etc can make a rooster crow more than normal.

Now, as the rude seller was trying to tell you - You don't need a rooster for eggs. However, they do indeed make good guardians for a flock. They won't prevent coyotes or raccoons, no, but they'll help fend off less threatening predators (snakes, etc) and they'll warn the flock of fly-by threats, such as hawks. I've heard plenty stories of a rooster fighting off a hawk.

To truly keep your chickens safe from predators, you'd need either A) good fencing or B) a Livestock Guardian Dog or a Livestock Guarding animal, such as an Emu, Donkey, Yak, I even hear Peafowl are good at warning of predators.

 

[Debbi]

JB~

Thanks for the giggle!

Of course, you now know you don't need a rooster to have eggs. Don't count on roosters to protect a flock from predators either! If you are planning on free ranging, count on losing some chickens..period. Don't care if you're standing out there with them, a hawk or wiley fox will grab one right in front of you! Your best bet is to make a large run, with the coop enclosed in it, with a welded wire roof over it! Then you won't have to worry. Oh.. and lock the chickens up in a tight, predator proof coop at night!! Electric fence around the perimeter doesn't hurt either! Good luck...and keep on researching!

 

[jmbinfo]

Thanks guys for the info.

I have a follow-up question. How do you get the chickens back in the coop at night? I'm guessing you have to pick them up and place them there or maybe there is some kind of "special chicken call"...just kidding. Maybe you feed them then and that makes them come into the coop.

 

[sheila3935]

I have 2 BR rooster that dont crow til I let them out of the coop. Then they dont crow all the time mainly when we go outside. But my neighbor has a brearded belgian D'anvers that crows all the time starting at 4 am. your second qustion when it gets dark they will go into the coop by themselves, but when you first get them keep them in the coop for about a week so they know where home is.

 

[Domestic_goddess]

Seriously thanks for the laugh!

You don't need a rooster. If all you really want are the eggs and such, just go with the hens and then you don't have to worry about a rooster. I have had a very noisy aggressive rooster, and one that crows occasionally in the morning and at night and that's why he's still around and the noisy one went to the stew pot. So it all depends on your bird. Like others have said, I would be more concerned about fencing and predator proofing your coop. Chickens will go back in the coop at dusk on there own, usually that's not much of a problem. Good Luck, on your chicken adventure...it's addicting! I started with 6 and have 25 now and 15 more soon!lol..they are alot of fun and if they give you eggs it's a bigger bonus.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

They go into the coop at night on they're own. That's where they feel safe and it's automatic for them. Sometimes something may spook one so it'll hide somewhere, then it gets dark so the chicken will stay put. I let mine free range on occasion and they always turn in on their own.

I've had three roosters. The Cochin crowed all day long! The Barred Rock crowed morning and night and any time anyone was near the girls. My Marans mutt usually only crows morning and dusk. He's not very loud either.

 

[heresyrsign]

OMG! Your funny! lol. Chickens will go into their house by themselves, when its bedtime for them.