Considering going roosterless

[AxisOfBeagles]

I have a great rooster - not aggressive with people, great protector of his hens, and a BIG bird. Wherein lies the problem. His naturally amorous nature is leaving some of the hens really banged up; bare patches.

I'm considering going roosterless. Do any of you run flocks of a dozen or more birds, sans le coq? Any advice or warnings?

 

[Michael OShay]

I have had flocks with more than a dozen birds (sometimes more than two dozen) and have gone roosterless, While a rooster or two might offer some protection for the hens from predators, a determined predator will usually snag them anyway unless you have implemented some other type of foolproof predator protection. The advantages of going roosterless are many: no banged up hens (at least not from the rooster), no crowing through all hours of the night (only a problem if it bothers you or your neighbors), no surprise ambushes on you from a protective rooster, and no feed cost for a bird that does not lay eggs. Your hens will continue to lay their eggs without a rooster, so unless you intend to breed them a rooster is certainly not a necessity. Hope this helps.

 

[enola]

I only keep a rooster with the hens for breeding. Hens that are not being stressed by a rooster lay more eggs.

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

Hens that are not being stressed by a rooster lay more eggs.

Realy? That's a big upside, if correct.

Thanks to you both - I think monsieur le coq is doomed to become coq au vin this week.

 

[centrarchid]

If rooster is a California Grey then swap him out for another breed. They have proven particularly hard on hens even in a free-range setting. They seem all about sperm competition.

 

[Tuhmu]

Realy? That's a big upside, if correct.

Thanks to you both - I think monsieur le coq is doomed to become coq au vin this week.

Mmmmmm coq au vin.

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

If rooster is a California Grey then swap him out for another breed. They have proven particularly hard on hens even in a free-range setting. They seem all about sperm competition.

No, he's Cuckoo Marans. We've had Rhode Island and Ameraucana roosters before, and this fellow really is the best - but the wear and tear on the girls is just too much.

 

[centrarchid]

It is not a general rooster thing. Mine, even when paired with a single hen are pretty easy on them, especially when kept free-range.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

In my experience, young roos are more girl-crazy than older ones. After two years, mine settled into the role of protector more than reproducer.

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

Update - the aforementioned overly amorous rooster is now featherless, cleaned, and in the freezer awaiting one final appearance on the dinner table. For the time being we shall manage the flock sans le coq.

I must confess that this was the hardest chore I've undertaken in quite some time. I rather liked the big guy.