considering a rooster

[paddyg84]

Have been keeping hens now for a year, i have 4 brown hybrids 2 wellsummers and 2 silkie bantams. I am considering getting them a rooster but just want to ask what i neeed to know about adding a roo to my flock. Would my bantams be too small to be with a full size rooster. Are they vicious?

 

[foreverlearning]

Roosters adapt to their surroundings so mean or not depends mostly on you. I have gotten 2 roosters from the same person that said they both attacked her and were very aggressive. When I get them here with plenty of food and showed them their hens both were happy and the best roosters I have ever had. One of them even scares away hawks (he has the worst crow/scream combo that scares the hawks). As long as you don't have a giant breed rooster (Jersey Giant and the like, full size is fine) with the silkies you should be fine. They won't hurt any hens too small for them but they may not be able to correctly mate with them. Your head hen will chest bump him a time or two it is just the normal pecking order thing and the hens require him to act mature before they will allow him to mate. I've never had a problem with a rooster and I have always had them with my flock.

 

[paddyg84]

Well that has me reassured thanks. I have a young son so when he is older plan to raise a few chicks with him. Are they noisy? Our coop is very close to our bedroom

 

[foreverlearning]

They can be, it depends on the bird themselves. I have one really quiet one that only crows twice at noon and has a softer voice then my hens egg song. His father had the same crow but crowed all day long. I also have another one that has the most horrible deep crow/scream thing going on. I only keep him because I free range and his crow is so bad that I have see it scare away a hawk that was trying to swoop in on my yard. If you don't raise one from a chick I suggest that you go to trade days and try to see if there is one there that you like. Roosters crow when another one crows so you will have a chance to hear it before you buy it. I would like to say it is a breed trait but it really isn't, it's more like different peoples voices.

 

[donrae]

How young is your son? Littles and roosters are a bad mix. Children move fast, are noisy, and make roosters nervous. Nervous roosters tend to attack first, ask questions later.

If you coop is close to your bedroom, be prepared for your rooster to crow every time you turn your bedroom light on at night. They also crow during the full moon, if car headlights hit the coop at night, the neighbor's floodlight comes on, or a dog barks.

I wouldn't put a full size rooster in with bantam silkies. Silkies are usually pretty docile, and I could see those two girls getting pretty overmated. You could try going with something like a silkie rooster, but that's still no guarantee of good behavior or quiet. Also, be prepared to explain to your son why chicken mating is so violent looking.

Why are you wanting a rooster?

 

[foreverlearning]

I have had my ADHD son with roosters since he was two years old. He hasn't ever had a problem.

 

[paddyg84]

Well my hens free range so would like the protection a rooster would provide. My son is currently 5 months old but when hes a little older would like to raise some chicks. The noise issue sounds like a bit of a problem, wehave no neighbours but dont want to be kept awake

 

[foreverlearning]

I have always had then in a country setting not a city one so I have never had to deal with headlights on the coop. What I do know is mine do not crow with a red heat lamp (70 and raining that day, 30 and snowing that night they were soaked) or a full moon. Like I said every rooster is different. Check out your local trade days and even if you don't buy one you can hear the ones they have there and decide for yourself.

 

[paddyg84]

Yeh we live in the country so that wouldnt be a problem. Thinking about a wee silkie rooster and maybe raise some silkie chicks. Thanks for the advice