Do I NEED a roo?

[Roosters110]

You don’t need one,but they can be fun to have and come in handy.My rooster shows the girls food and when it’s hot out and runs across watt he will call them and their very great watch over.
Currently I have two and even though they don’t like one an other they work together to alert everyone.
One time my dog grabbed a hen and my rooster ran over sndbattcked her,they can be a great addition

 

[hennylover]

Hi,I have a problem with my all girl flock...some of my girls are humping each other like a rooster!! Do I have a bunch of lesbihens? Any reply helps,thank you!

 

[Folly's place]

I've always had roosters in my flock, and wouldn't want to be without at least one.
BUT; Everyone's concerns are valid here!
They crow! My neighbors are fine with it, and in farm country, it's totally legal.
Raising cockerels to be polite with humans is essential.
Be ready to eliminate any cockerels, or cockbirds, who are human aggressive, or nasty to their flockmates. Don't make excuses for a bad boy, or wait until he injures someone.
Small children, especially toddlers, are a valid reason to NOT have roosters. Yet. Maybe later.
It's safest to enjoy your pullets, grow them up, and get some straight run chicks next year. Your hens will help educate those cockerels, and there might be a 'keeper' in the group.
Mary

 

[bobbi-j]

I am just starting my flock in a few days. The ones I am getting are supposedly all girls. Do I need a roo?

Being a first time chicken keeper. I would suggest a hens only flock for now. Since you want them primarily as pets, it would work better without a rooster anyway. They will be more likely to be dependent on you and friendlier with you. If you have a rooster, they will look to him first. My roosters are good at leading the hens away from me when I am out with them. I am fine with this, as it’s his job to keep them safe.

Hi,I have a problem with my all girl flock...some of my girls are humping each other like a rooster!! Do I have a bunch of lesbihens? Any reply helps,thank you!

Mounting is also a sign of dominant behavior, not just for breeding.

 

[pamonarch]

“Lesbihens”, haha..clever! I’m sure my lesbian friends would think so too!

hahaha..loved the "lesbihens" comment too!!

 

[Phaedra Winters]

My rooster, Rowan, is an angel. Loves cuddles and waits for his nightly bedtime kiss. He doesn't fight our other roosters and calls the girls over for any food offered or found. He also keeps excellent watch on them. The aggression people mention for as they get older isn't their fault, it's essentially a rooster as a teenager and he's being flooded with all these hormones and he is changing. So they might go through an aggressive patch, but they should settle down within a few months and if you don't want to do that, plenty of people have sweet adult roosters who are already settled and will know how to react and treat the hens and protect them, and will even guide the younger hens. Some roosters will even show the young hens where to lay their eggs if they don't know where, and/or they'll help seek places for them if they're completely free-range. Personally I think roosters are amazing, and yes there are some bad ones, but you can train them, in fact there's a few articles on BYC about it. Basically it takes a few months of positive reinforcement but is well worth the wait to have a perfect boy. In fact my rooster is friendlier and more cuddly than my hens and comes up to me for pets and love all the time. I think roosters are 100% worth it, even if you just want them for their looks. That being said, they can sometimes be bad to hens and hurt them or be mean to them, so it is possible you may need to cull one, and yeah as others have said, you do not necessarily need a rooster but they can be some of the best members of your flock.

 

[bobbi-j]

Unless you want to be able to raise your own chicks, it is not nessasary to have one. But..... My roo just saved all of our chickens from a fox and got injured in the prossess. He fought bravely and saved all of our chickens and died to save them. Or, we thought he was dead... He is alive with a crooked neck. He cannot walk or move his head or anything. i have to hand feed im and hand water him. Any ideas on how to help!?!?!?!

How long has he been like that? If he were mine, I'd maybe give him a couple of days to see if he improves. If he doesn't, I'd do the kindest thing for him and put him out of his misery. We need to put their comfort and needs ahead of ours, even if it makes us sad.

 

[CPT]

Cockbirds who spend time stalking and attacking the giants (humans!) who bring food every day are idiots, and they aren't looking out for their flock during that time. I want a smarter bird who spends his time watching for predators, not me, and who's taking care of his flock.
Mary

Roosters are not idiots; they're very smart. They are animals and they may not do everything that we expect them to do. They will put the flock/ hens first before you. Ignore the aggressive behaviour and they will be fine. Work with them, tell them "no" to correct bad behaviour, and maybe pick them up when relaxed so that you can handle them more. My roo is now about 6 months old; he's hormonal, but he's doing his job. His behavior will change over time.

 

[bobbi-j]

Yes, and protection for the flock.

I would call it one component of flock protection. A rooster isn't going to be able to fight off a dog, coyote, fox, or any other larger predator. Often times, he's just a speed bump. A good rooster will sound an alarm if a threat is perceived. So will a dominant hen. That dominant hen will likely also lead the others to safety, as will a rooster. A rooster will be more likely to give his life to protect the flock, but then what? Then you're out a rooster and flock protector. So, I wouldn't rely entirely upon a rooster for protection. A good coop and run are also helpful. If you choose to free range, places of good cover are also helpful.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

No the males are black with a white spot on head as chicks as for the hens they are all black as chicks.As adults the sexlinks males will begin to take on the barred pattern more and may have a few orangish feathers with a gold glow

I believe the BSL pullets are black and the roosters are white.

is my cockerel