Do I NEED a roo?

[Erin80]

We just started out with chickens last April. At first I got 5 barred rock pullets who thankfully turned out to be pullets. From there we kept getting “straight run” and ended up with 3 total roosters....one Silkie, one Ameraucana and one Icelandic. We live out in the country, but we do have one neighbour who is semi close. He used to have chickens before he moved here, he swore they didn’t bother him, but the roosters crowing was OBNOXIOUS. They’d start early in the morning, so they stayed in the coop crowing away until 8am. Then they’d come out to free range and it was a crow fest again. They were annoying to the hens, very annoying to us....I tried very hard to both sell them and give them away for free, but no one wanted them.
Soooo...this year I placed an order from a great hatchery here for pullets only. I’m not messing with straight run again!
That said, roosters are hilarious to watch...the silkie rooster used to dance for my daughter and I and was actually very friendly. Roosters aren’t for us though!

 

[EggMan207]

Just curious here... would it work to borrow/rent a rooster if you wanted fertile eggs? Have them come in, do their business, and then send them back to the owner. Or would you have issues because of integration? I'd love to hatch eggs, but don't want a rooster for a number of the reasons already listed.

 

[sumi]

Just curious here... would it work to borrow/rent a rooster if you wanted fertile eggs? Have them come in, do their business, and then send them back to the owner. Or would you have issues because of integration? I'd love to hatch eggs, but don't want a rooster for a number of the reasons already listed.

My biggest worry there would be biosecurity and quarantine. Even a healthy looking bird may carry parasites or a disease, which he can share with your flock.

If you want fertile eggs, it's usually easy enough to get some, depending on what you're after.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

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

If you are allowed to have a cockerel/rooster I think you should get one. They are majestic wonderful creatures and they add so much to a flock. There are some things that you will only see if you keep a cockerel or rooster in your flock, like tid bitting it him courting the ladies. I so miss having a cockerel with my girls. There’s something so special about cockerels and roosters that I just love. If you’re able to have one go for it. It may be best though to have an all hen flock for a year and then introduce a cockerel so that the hens will keep him in line.

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.

X2

 

[EggMan207]

My biggest worry there would be biosecurity and quarantine. Even a healthy looking bird may carry parasites or a disease, which he can share with your flock.

If you want fertile eggs, it's usually easy enough to get some, depending on what you're after.

That's a very valid concern... My biggest worry is my wife, who wouldn't tolerate the noise in the morning or any aggressive behavior. haha

 

[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

 

[Roosters110]

If noise is concern then you may not wanna get one.The closets rooster lives about two an d half football fields away up a large hill and we can still here him,and so can our two roosters

 

[Roosters110]

Just curious here... would it work to borrow/rent a rooster if you wanted fertile eggs? Have them come in, do their business, and then send them back to the owner. Or would you have issues because of integration? I'd love to hatch eggs, but don't want a rooster for a number of the reasons already listed.

Borrowing isn’t a good idea,you could bring disease.If you wanna go down that route,quarantine and introduction may go easy.Some hens submit instantly,escpecially ones who have never had a rooster or in general easy going hens.

 

[21hens-incharge]

From my experience.....

In the country we had a couple bantam roosters that were awesome little gents.
BUT I could hear the Cochin's crow 3 miles away and right next to the highway. He had a unique crow so I am certain it was him.

I am now in town and although I "could" have a rooster, it falls under the noise ordinance. I simply won't give my neighbors a reason to complain.

When I get a broody hen I buy day old sexed chicks for her to adopt. Less risk of an oops that way.

 

[Patinas]

In my humble opinion, as others have stated, you don't need a rooster to have a happy flock unless you want fertile eggs.

I had one for awhile but ended up re-homing him.

I'm not interested in fertile eggs so for me the rooster was more of a liability because:

1. They are noisy. Not just noisy but LOUD noisy. I live rural and can have roosters but what started out as short morning and evening crowing turned into an all day event. My husband had issues with all the crowing.

2. Even nice roosters can suddenly turn really mean as they age. I felt like I was always looking over my shoulder with my rooster around. He never attacked in the short time I had him but he would certainly give me the stink eye and follow me around. I want to tend to my flock without the fear of injury so this weighed heavy in my decision to re-home him.

3. Aggressive roosters can be a safety concern for children and pets that come in contact with him. In my case, I do have a small dog that I worried about getting attacked.

4. Roosters can be really rough on your hens. Sometimes they pick one or two favorites and before you know it the ladies are missing feathers and may incur wounds from an aggressive rooster jumping on them all day long. A rooster trying to jump an unwilling hen is not a pretty sight!

Those are my top 4 reasons for deciding not to have one around.

If you want fertile eggs, by all means get a rooster but for my situation, I decided the flock protection they can provide was not enough benefit in my opinion to outweigh the what I consider the downside of having a rooster around.