Asking Y'all Your Opinions On Roosters

[La_TomboyGirl]

Ok. I have a good friend who's fixin to start her first flock. She hasn't even gotten the first bird yet & everybody's telling her what to do about it. Most never owned a chicken in their life, but have "heard" what you need to do. So the million dollar question is"Should she get a rooster?" She thinks she'd like to get one, but with all the nay-saying pressure she's feeling unsure now. They will be housed in the Fort Knox of chicken pens most of the day, but will be let out to free-range (mostly supervised) daily in their semi-rural area of open fields. At night they are inside the super-security coop inside the Fort Knox pen. (Among the animals sighted there - foxes, hawks, boars, possums, skunks, etc.) The chickens are for laying, & don't need to be fertilized, although it might be cool just for the experience if a girl did happen to go broody. Also would like the potential roo to be friendly & nice to his 4-6 girls - not mean as a snake! I myself have a big sweet Cochin boy who sings loveydovey egg-laying songs & shows the girls how to make/set on a nest, so I'm pro-roo! LOL But I tell her to absolutely do what SHE wants for her own experience. So, I guess the options are to get a large, gentle breed roo - BO, Cochin, Brahma, etc. , get a bantam roo, or no roo? Please chime in with your advice, experiences, etc. in these situations or suggest other ideas! Thanks so much for your help!

 

[peterlund]

I have 21 birds right now, and one of my hens turned out to be a rooster... Quite a gentleman so far, and not too loud... It is the neighbors or a personal intolerance of the roosters crow that is the biggest issue (usually)... Unless he is very aggressive and hurts his girls, I dont see a problem... It is after all a natural thing right? Tell her to go with her gut feeling, and forget the peanut gallery... Including me!

 

[La_TomboyGirl]

Thanks for your input! That's what I say too- do what you feel. She does like the natural aspect of having the Roo. The neighbors are not even a factor, as they are good friends & are waaaay off in the distance anyway. Anyone else? if she gets a roo, does it matter if it's bantam or standard? Will the lil guy basically be as good a watchman as his larger counterparts? Any pros/cons with either sitch?

 

[nzpouter]

we always have a few roosters running around, they all look after the hens and they all call out when they found food.... very handy when you have a few young ones running around... in saying that we're quite strict on the roos attitude/ temperament..

 

[math ace]

My advice is to WAIT on the roo. Being a first time chicken owner - - - she is going to probably find that she likes and doesn't like certain chickens. So, some will come and some will go. After she has decided which breeds live up to her original expectations, , , , then get a roo to go with them.

You don't need that many roos. I advise 7 - 10 hens for each roo. My guy has 11 hens to select from. He is hooking up with all of them. I know this because he is grabbing their combs for the ride and is damaging the hens combs doing so.

If he doesn't figure it out soon - - - I won't be keeping him because I don't like my girls getting roughed up.

The roo can start hooking up with the females way before they start laying.
So, there is no rush. . . . I only have 1/2 my flock laying and he is active with all.
All my chickens are the same age - - - but half have not laid their first egg yet.

 

[La_TomboyGirl]

Thanks y'all. Any one else wanna add their 2 cents to the collection plate? Come on - dig deep! LOL

 

[Nikki28]

Quote:
I agree. I had hens only for over a year before accidently ending up with a roo. I'm glad I started out with just hens and was able to sit out and just enjoy them.... but I am happy to have a roo now. While he certainly is not friendly he is not "mean" either and has more than shown his worth by keeping the girls safe in what could have been a horrible situation.

 

[joedie]

I started out with 32 pullets last year and one ended up with an EE roo. Not bad odds! He's protective, let's them know where the food is. Besides crowing alot, if something happens to him, I would want another one. I have a broody sitting now. I didn't plan on having more but she did, so what the heck? I like having him around.

 

[tammyd57]

I love roosters! I recommend having one even if you don't want little peeps. They are great to have around if you can find a gentle one. Cochin roos are one of my very favorites. They tend to be really nice to the girls and never attack me. Roos are just beautiful additions to a flock.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
X2.

Tell her to start off with hens and see if she can pick up a cochin rooster somewhere (like here on BYC

). We love our cochin rooster and from my experience with them, they are great "starter roosters," calm, friendly, non-aggressive, not too loud and big enough to keep the hens in line.

I personally hate RIR roos, but that's just me (after getting repeatedly attacked by one at the ranch I used to work at ...)