Do I NEED a roo?

[Bluerosesd]

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

 

[Farmgal101]

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

You dont necessarily need a rooster,But they can be nice to have for the hens.Most and some rooster also protect the hens from danger.A rooster will risk its life for the hens.Some people get them so they are able to hatch eggs and sell ...Is there any specific reason your getting chickens?

 

[Bluerosesd]

I just want to watch them, give treats, and have them as pets. I can remember being a little girl going to my grandmas run and picking grass for the chickens. I would dig worms to watch them run with them. The eggs are frosting on the cake to me. I just want the amusement of them. They won’t be free range out of a run because I live in a suburb. I will move their run when all the grass and stuff is gone.

 

[Riche Bronson]

I have 8 hens and no roo. I do have 3 dogs tho, who keep the cats and other varmints away. Not only are we currently living in a subdivision where people don’t appreciate being woken up at 3am, but we also didn’t want fertilized eggs or traumatized hens (we had a nympho roo for about 6 months who was supposed to be a pullet. We tried to keep him but it just wasn’t working out.. for many reasons.). The dogs do a great job- and they’re not like farm dogs or anything either. We have an aging English Bulldog, an Imperial Shih Tzu and a Chihuahua. The little ones are barking maniacs- yappers- so along with them yapping, and the hens carrying on, we definitely know when anything comes around. The EBD keeps the cats away just because of her size and the tone of her barking. We lock the hens up in their coop at night so nothing can bother them when the dogs come inside for the night and let the dogs out with them in the morning. In the colder months the dogs can’t be out all day, but we haven’t had any issues. Works well for us!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

You onlyy"need" a rooster if you want fertile eggs

 

[Farmgal101]

I just want to watch them, give treats, and have them as pets. I can remember being a little girl going to my grandmas run and picking grass for the chickens. I would dig worms to watch them run with them. The eggs are frosting on the cake to me. I just want the amusement of them. They won’t be free range out of a run because I live in a suburb. I will move their run when all the grass and stuff is gone.

Then it is really up to you i guess,I like having a rooster in my flock.If you are getting chickens for amusement you wont be disappointed,I have to say i feel roosters do add to amusement along with hens.Snakes and other critters sometimes try to get to chickens even when there not free ranged,but yes there much more protected from predators not being free ranged.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I just want to watch them, give treats, and have them as pets. I can remember being a little girl going to my grandmas run and picking grass for the chickens. I would dig worms to watch them run with them. The eggs are frosting on the cake to me. I just want the amusement of them. They won’t be free range out of a run because I live in a suburb. I will move their run when all the grass and stuff is gone.

Are rooster allowed where you live? Many cities that allow backyard flocks specifically prohibit roosters, so this while question may be a moot point.

Honestly, from what you describe that you want from your experience with this flock a rooster had more potential to be a complication than anything, skip having one and enjoy your hens.

 

[Riche Bronson]

Are rooster allowed where you live? Many cities that allow backyard flocks specifically prohibit roosters, so this while question may be a moot point.

Honestly, from what you describe that you want from your experience with this flock a rooster had more potential to be a complication than anything, skip having one and enjoy your hens.

Yes. Which was exactly our issue with ours (that was supposed to be a pullet anyway). They don’t crow at dawn, like the old wives tales say.. they start more around 3am and continue most of the morning and early afternoon, and start again at sunset. I’ll be the first one to tell you too, that none of the ideas or items to purchase out there -to limit said crowing- work. We spent a lot of time and made coop revisions- and still had 3 visits from animal control in the few months that we had him that he was old enough to crow. (Thankfully each time they caught me being proactive about stopping the noise, and roosters weren’t “illegal” where we lived so they didn’t REALLY have a leg to stand on as far as taking him or fining us. Ultimately that was our decision when all else failed.) Also, about the time his flock mates were old enough to lay, he became old enough to become aggressive- with us, the dogs, and the hens. He was hand reared like the rest of them who became lap chickens too. Like I said before he was also like a nympho- he wouldn’t leave the girls alone for 10 minutes- long enough for us to enjoy them.. he’d get them upset sending them flying- which can’t happen in a subdivision setting.. (there might be dogs over that fence they just flew up on to to save themselves). He flew at little kids with his spurs out- leaving us in danger of a liability lawsuit..and the possibility of being the cause of someone getting hurt- not our cuppa! Not to mention- chickens poop. A lot. Roosters poop MORE and LARGER piles of it. Not fun in a subdivision sized yard- and while the hens would learn to stay off the deck, he would not. I’m sure that all roosters aren’t as naughty as ours was, but we didn’t have a great experience, and can’t think of any reason outside of chicks- that anyone in a subdivision would want one. Chicks are easy to buy.. roosters aren’t as easy to raise.

 

[sumi]

I've been keeping chickens for about 12 years now and almost always had at least one rooster in the flock, for fertile eggs and also because I like them. A good rooster can be a wonderful part of a flock, as a well as a great pet. I've had roosters that fought off predators to protect their hens and come into my house to say "hello" and come check on me when I was unwell. Depending on breed, temperament and how they are raised, they can have wonderful personalities and be great fun to have around and interact with.

As previous posters said, the crowing can be an issue, especially if you have close neighbours. They are LOUD and they do not half care what time of the day or night it is. I've had my share of 03:00am callers too!

To answer the OP's question, unless you want fertile eggs from your hens, you do not NEED a rooster, but they can be great to have around if you can get the right one and the crowing is not a problem.

 

[Speedychicken27]

We raised chickens and had 4 roos but gave away all but 1 he was so nice but when he started got older he would run at us and peck our legs and scratch. I know not all are like that thou we just haven't had good luck.