Do I NEED a roo?

[Kessel23]

I've had chickens for the past 16 years, you do not need a rooster but they do provide lots of benefits if you get one.

 

[Roosters110]

You have black sexlinks rooster.Blavk sexlinks are a breed that can be sexed instantly at birth

a few examples.Frnales are more black and have the gold on the chest.Thid was for the user with the usher breed of rooster

 

[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.

 

[Bluerosesd]

You have black sexlinks rooster.Blavk sexlinks are a breed that can be sexed instantly at birth examples.Frnales are more black and have the gold on the chest.Thid was for the user with the usher breed of rooster

They can be sexed at birth? Are they the ones that have a white dot on their head if they are one or the other ?

 

[FarmerGirl101]

If you are interested in Roos but don't want the crowing at 3 am then get a Serama roo. They do just fine and I got two of them for 6 hens and they did just fine. A plus is a quiet crow and they don't breed/mate with the big hens as they are smaller then Bantams. The two downsides are MITES (My hen is infested with them) and they get worms super easily so I would recommend de-worming them ever 2 weeks to a month or when they get purple combs. I did get one that had a mutation with the feathers and they would curl. I have his daughter and his grand-daughters just passed at 1, 17, and 19 days old. They are wonderful tho. Get either two serema roos (they are just fine together no fighting) or a pair of them.

 

[Dawnclucks22]

I don't have a roo and I've never had one, and I can tell you my hens are fine, laying, and content without one. Unless you buy one from someone else their personalities can be a bit of a gamble. Some are sweet as kittens and others want to bite your face off.
Not literally. But you see my point, right?
Anyway, it can really depend. If you're concerned about predators a big sturdy roo is good with fighting off hawks and other small predators.

 

[Farmgal101]

I was inspired by this thread(article)https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-shouldnt-have-a-rooster-in-your-flock.73676/

 

[igorsMistress]

No. You don't need one unless you're planning to breed or hatch your own chicks. The girls can and will take care of themselves.
Want, on the other hand, can be a different story.

 

[Kailey the Animal Lover]

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!?!?!?!

 

[leighks]

You have black sexlinks rooster.Blavk sexlinks are a breed that can be sexed instantly at birth View attachment 1293930 View attachment 1293932View attachment 1293933a few examples.Frnales are more black and have the gold on the chest.Thid was for the user with the usher breed of rooster

Huh you think he’s fully BSL? I got him at 2-3 days old and his head was completely black, not any sign of a white spot which is supposed to indicate a male chick. Needless to say I was surprised the hatchery made a mistake on a sex link! Here he is when I first got him (bottom pic) and then maybe a week later.