Keep an eye on him, especially around your kids! Boldness often leads to aggression later on.
If you have a rooster in your flock, the eggs will be fertilized, there's no real avoiding it. He will breed the hens, who will store his sperm, and each egg will then be fertilized before they are even laid. If you don't want them to develop, just make sure to collect eggs every day and don't leave them outside in the heat for more than 24 hours. You probably won't even see the difference between fertilized and unfertilized eggs when you break them open. Even those with experience sometimes can't tell just by looking at them!
As far as crowing, it really depends on the individual and the flock dynamics. Being the only male around might make him crow a bit earlier, but some have had cockerels not crow until nearly a year old. Basically, he could start any time, or he could wait a while yet, it's hard to say for sure.
If you have a rooster in your flock, the eggs will be fertilized, there's no real avoiding it. He will breed the hens, who will store his sperm, and each egg will then be fertilized before they are even laid. If you don't want them to develop, just make sure to collect eggs every day and don't leave them outside in the heat for more than 24 hours. You probably won't even see the difference between fertilized and unfertilized eggs when you break them open. Even those with experience sometimes can't tell just by looking at them!
As far as crowing, it really depends on the individual and the flock dynamics. Being the only male around might make him crow a bit earlier, but some have had cockerels not crow until nearly a year old. Basically, he could start any time, or he could wait a while yet, it's hard to say for sure.
