Do I have to have a rooster?

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

He’s 6 months and so bad!! He is constantly on their backs and beats their heads to the ground. It breaks my heart. I know it’s a part of it but he pulls feathers at time.

It'll really depend on the bird. I might have lucked out with mine.

My flock is about 15 months old. Got them all at the same time. Ended up with 1 surprise cockerel, and his 13 pullets. But no adult flock to mentor them. And fortunately he's been good.

 

[FrostRanger]

He’s 6 months and so bad!! He is constantly on their backs and beats their heads to the ground. It breaks my heart. I know it’s a part of it but he pulls feathers at time.

At 6 months, you have a cockerel, not a mature rooster. I'd separate him for a few weeks to see if he calms down. If he doesn't calm down a bit in a few months I'd make that separation permanent. Usually, but not always, males will calm down a bit once they mature (at about a year to a year and half old), sometimes though a roo is just a brute

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It's entirely up to you. As you can tell by the responses so far, no, a rooster (or cockerel) is not necessary in a flock. And a rough one that upsets the hens - and you - is absolutely not needed!

But how to get rid of him may be your next concern.

 

[debid]

I had a surprise cockerel in my first flock. He had to go around age 2, too many issues. The hen that took charge was fantastic.
I've let a hen lead ever since. There isn't a lot of difference other than there isn't any mating going on. HOWEVER, the hen in charge will grab at the neck feathers, watch the lower ranking hen drop to a submissive posture... maybe step on her, maybe not... and then let her go. So if you are expecting for all aggressive behaviors to cease, please remember that these are chickens and the pecking order will be maintained with or without a rooster.

 

[Altairsky]

If you don't want chicks and you don't have bully hens that need to be kept in line, then you don't need a rooster.
6 months old cockerels makes amazing dinners.

 

[McChooky]

After months of dealing with a rooster with a nasty attitude I cooked him and fed him to my dogs.Waste not want not.

 

[McChooky]

You need a plan for the baby cockerels that hatch if you keep a rooster in your flock.(I waited 3 years before adding one to mine)
I don't eat the roosters I raise and can't give away.I process them into chicken broth for soup and food for the same dogs that guard them.

 

[SamLockwood]

To answer your question, no you don't need a rooster unless you're trying to breed chicks. I can't really tell from your posts if he's really doing anything bad, or you just find normal chicken mating behaviors upsetting. As far as the lack of egg-laying it could be from stress, it could be from age, or it could be one or more of them has gone broody.

But whatever the reason, if you're not happy with the rooster and you're not planning on breeding chicks just get rid of him.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I can't really tell from your posts if he's really doing anything bad, or you just find normal chicken mating behaviors upsetting.

I am wondering the same thing. I came to the conclusion that the rooster isn’t doing any sort of “wooing” but instead just pouncing on the hens. Which is what my subordinate rooster does. The hens find him very annoying but half of them still choose to coop with him instead of the dominant rooster even though they have a choice. Some have switched coops. If they didn’t have a choice and were in a run instead of free range I can see how this would get out of hand and I suspect that is what’s going on here. My subordinate rooster is not a problem because my setup works for him and the hens.

 

[Chickenmama1115]

I am wondering the same thing. I came to the conclusion that the rooster isn’t doing any sort of “wooing” but instead just pouncing on the hens. Which is what my subordinate rooster does. The hens find him very annoying but half of them still choose to coop with him instead of the dominant rooster even though they have a choice. Some have switched coops. If they didn’t have a choice and were in a run instead of free range I can see how this would get out of hand and I suspect that is what’s going on here. My subordinate rooster is not a problem because my setup works for him and the hens.

That is what’s going on. They are in a pretty large run and coop area. I don’t let them free range as our farm is covered in foxes, coyotes, raccoons and hawks. I have a newborn so I’m not able to sit outside all day and watch them right now either. I’m a first time chicken owner, I get that his behavior is normal as he is just mating, I just hate hearing my girls squawk when he gets on them. He’s not gentle and doesn’t stop! He just keeps going and going!!