Do roosters boost egg-laying?

[Abdelaziz]

I want to keep a few roosters with my laying hens for more protection, but I'm not sure whether their presence will boost or lessen egg-laying. Any ideas?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The presence of a rooster will not boost egg production, no. The presence of a wrister can impede egg production if the hands are being stressed out by being over mated or harassed by the roosters in a way that causes them to slack on production. That does not mean that having a rooster will automatically cause a drop in egg production it simply means that with certain conditions it can happen. As far as protection I find roosters to be of minimal actual use for that especially when there are other options that can be equally or more affective

 

[Abdelaziz]

Thanks a million, Ol Grey Mare. Following your advice, I have decided not to disturb my girls and keep them lay at peace away from roosters. I agree, my girls are grown-up and strong enough to defend themselves and don't need a male's protection.

Thanks again and I appreciate your feedback.

 

[Dawnclucks22]

I know you've already decided, but I agree will Ol Grey Mare. Roosters won't affect the speed of laying hens, all he'll do is fertilize, mate, and make noise. I've never owned a rooster and I've been getting fresh eggs *almost* every day from my four girls.

 

[Abdelaziz]

Thanks a lot Dawnclucks. Yes, Grey Mare is right and I have taken her advice. We all agree now that for egg-laying, the girls can do well without males but I feel sorry for them having no males in their lives.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

Thanks a lot Dawnclucks. Yes, Grey Mare is right and I have taken her advice. We all agree now that for egg-laying, the girls can do well without males but I feel sorry for them having no males in their lives.

Unless you want to boost chick production there is no need for the girls to have male company.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Agree with Mare.

I keep roosters, they do NOT increase my egg production and sometimes have decreased it.

My gals enjoy hanging out with the boy... but will RUN when he tries to mate them.

Some roosters will give their life for the hens, combating predators. But they simply can't compete with a lot of predators even IF they give their all. Which essentially means that roo is a sacrifice.

Now there are precious moments and pluses. My hens had their cliques until the rooster joined them and now they all stay by him. So he essentially united the flock. He is a good boy that doesn't look at me or my dogs with the stink eye. And he breaks up fight between the hen and even between other cockerels in my stag pen, when I've got him over there. He stands watch while the ladies dirt bathe. He calls the hens and chicks to treats. He dances for the ladies. I've even seen him search out new nest sites and call the ladies to check it out. When I wasn't home the other day, my hubby called to tell me that a hen was stuck on the other side of the fence and the rooster with his harem in toll went to help her find her way around! And lot's of crying wolf over song birds passing by.

Now my top hen also calls predator warnings, and has friends hanging out with her. And I don't think ANY rooster could fight a bear. If I didn't want chicks... I would go with no rooster, probably. Not all are created equal. Some people won't try to pick up hens around their boy. Are you kidding me, these are MY ladies! I was very happy yesterday when one of my bantam hens darted into my LF pen. I had to close the door and go into the coop to grab her... where most the LF happen to be due to weather. The thought crossed my mind that he MAY try something when I bend down in front of him to grab a hen who was protesting right around all the other ladies. Well, no second thoughts here... I've been attacked by another boy , I'm not scared but I also try not to be stupid.

Long story short... hens are perfectly happy, if not more so... without the added harassment of a rooster in their lives. And for someone with no prior rooster experience or intention of breeding... I cannot recommend it as an addition to an already functional flock. It isn't about NOT needing a males' protection. It's more about an unrealistic expectation of protection.. or rather a better understanding. Here we face mountain lion, bob cat, bear, fox, raccoon, opossum, hawk... all kinds of stuff.

How many eggs a hen produces is more about nutrition, age, lighting, and BREED. People like to think our "happy hens" will lay more. It's simply NOT true. Yes unhappy hens MAY lay less. Of course some incidents will stop lay all together... but even hens in battery cages can lay an egg everyday. And believe it OR not... confinement can actually increase production.

When we talk about production... even 10% would only be one more egg than 10 or 1 less. Most average people would never notice a 10% increase or decrease either way without some heavy record keeping.

BTW, I accidentally stuck my leg between two boys fighting and have a new respect for just how much power their punch truly can pack. One mistaken leg placement and I had a couple of holes from the spurs and some bruising, to my knee and thigh. It HURT when her hit me! He will give some smaller predators a run for their money! Luckily that was true stupidity on my part and not an attack on his. It's it's an ever learning process fro me. And that will be my first boy to make his 2nd birthday.

Even though you have already made a choice... now you get a fun little story.

 

[Abdelaziz]

Thanks Boonie and EggSighted. We all seem to be united to deprive the girls from male company without their consent. I thought hens would be more excited to see a male around and would perform better to attract attention, but facts do not support my hypothesis.

Yet one more important thing I learned from Eggsighted is that confinement does help with better egg-laying. Do we all agree on this? I thought that this is true with meat birds but not layers. I thought the more sports the girls do, the more they produce. My wife has been advised to walk more a few weeks before delivery. Isn't it the case with layers?

 

[alexa009]

Roosters don't increase egg production, I have heard though it can decrease with too many roosters or not enough hens kept together with too many roos. For fertile eggs 1 rooster can be kept for every 10 hens, I agree with eggsightedforlife that confining can increase egg production because I know someone who gives their 4 hens little space for them and they seem to produce a lot, everyday without stopping. Probably just the same as amount as all 10 of mine that are laying and they have a huge pen area.

 

[Abdelaziz]

Merci bien, alexa009, your comment has saved me the pain to give the girls more space to get more eggs.