Can I keep the older rooster?

[cchicks]

My chickens are about 21/2 years old and their egg production has gone down tremendously for the last six months. I get about one egg a day from five hens. Thinking of getting rid of the hens and getting new chicks for replacement. The problem is my rooster. He is very nice and I really like him. Would it be ok to keep him and get new chicks or is this a bad idea?

 

[Kevin565]

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum! Glad you joined us!

2-1/2 years seems too young for that kind of dramatic drop in production every day. I’d think you should probably still be getting 2 to 3 a day on average. You might want to make sure they are not hiding a nest or that you have something getting some of the eggs. Have they been molting? They are living animals and anything can happen, but that seems a bit too much.

I’m not sure why you are keeping a rooster or what your actual concern is. As a rooster ages, he can become less fertile and may have less interest in mating. It is an individual thing with each rooster, some losing fertility or interest a lot less than others. If you are looking for fertile eggs, it might be a good idea to replace him. He will be older by the time the new pullets are of laying age maybe.

If fertile eggs are not your concern, then I’d suggest you keep him since you seem pleased with his personality. Not all roosters have this pleasing personality so if you have one, I suggest keeping him. You never know what the new one will be like.

If your concern is that the rooster will be dangerous to the new chicks, well, that depends. A good dominant rooster takes care of all members of his flock. I’ve never had a dominant rooster threaten chicks in any way. I’ve had them help Mama take care of the chicks and protect them when they get separated from Mama. Not all roosters are “good” and anything can happen, but I’d worry a whole lot more about the adult hens than I would the rooster.

If you are concerned that the rooster will try to mate with the chicks before they mature, that is possible. It can go either way. A mature rooster is a lot more likely than a young adolescent rooster to not bother the pullets until they are laying age, but some do. I raise replacement pullets with my flock and this is not a problem with a mature rooster, but anything can happen.

 

[cchicks]

The biggest reason I want to keep him is he is nice and I love it when he crows. We had a horrible rooster that only lasted one week before he was history. My concern is getting rid of all the hens and then replacing them with chicks.

 

[Lollipop]

My chickens are about 21/2 years old and their egg production has gone down tremendously for the last six months. I get about one egg a day from five hens. Thinking of getting rid of the hens and getting new chicks for replacement. The problem is my rooster. He is very nice and I really like him. Would it be ok to keep him and get new chicks or is this a bad idea?

Gotta agree with all that Ridgerunner said and add that I have never had a problem with a mature cock and chicks. Mature cocks are usually wonderfull with chicks. It's the older hens/pullets and young roosters that are dangerous to chicks. Keep your rooster........Pop

 

[Ridgerunner]

The biggest reason I want to keep him is he is nice and I love it when he crows.   We had a horrible rooster that only lasted one week before he was history.  My concern is getting rid of all the hens and then replacing them with chicks.

What is it about replacing the hens that has you concerned? I'm sorry, but that is so wide open I have no idea how to respond. What are your specific concerns about that?

 

[greymane]

 

[cchicks]

I wasn't sure if it would stress him by loosing all his girls and suddenly wake up one morning with all new young chicks. I was afraid his behavior would change or he would kill the chicks.

 

[cchicks]

Low production started last fall with malting, then it became cold. Once it started getting warm, I had a normal production of eggs that lasted about two weeks. Haven't had more than one a day for a coule months now. All of hens are different varieties (Barred Rock, Ameraucania, Buttercup, and two types of Brahama's) Thinking of getting Sex-Link.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

Before you get rid of your hens, you may try feeding them a different diet, depending on what they are on now. I have used Dumor layer for years, and all of a sudden this spring my production dropped in my one year old flock. I recently started feeding Purina Flock raiser, as I have young birds in with the layers, and I have seen some improvement in laying. Inadequate protein levels in particular can cause decreased production. Sometimes it is a ration problem, sometimes what is fed in addition, such as table scraps and other grains (like scratch feed).