do you enjoy having a rooster or regret it?

[CoconutCoffee]

I've had good though limited experience with roosters. My oldest rooster was a surprise from my pullet order. He's been great. Alerts for danger, calls for treats, made nests for hens when coming into lay (this mainly when he was younger), and was willing to fight a beagle to protect his girls. He sounded the alarm and the hens took off for cover and he went running towards the dog. Thankfully I was outside when it happened but it was nice seeing what he was willing to do. His son is pretty similar to him though I haven't had a similar predator experience with him. Though, when I'd free range them, the son lost his 3 hens and his own offspring in one day. I assume because they went into the wooded area behind the house. He had no sign of injury or damage so I assume he took off to save himself, which is understandable but it did annoy me. Now they have an enclosed run. Neither one have ever over mated their hens enough to cause feather damage. I have a few cockerels that I'm watching now. So far so good but they're still young (13 or so weeks).

 

[MysteryChicken]

I've had friendly, shy ones, & Jerks. So just about every attitude.

I love roosters, just don't tolerate human aggressive ones. I do have a human aggressive rooster, but that's because he's a breed I need for a project.

 

[MysteryChicken]

For hawk Fighters, get Malays, or Liege Fighter chickens? The roosters are very protective over the flock.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I love having a roo and the flock dynamics when having a great roo. We don't really have any predators but my current #1 guy practally chest bumbs our dog if he gets to close and also runs interference when the cats are stalking the chicks. All of my boys have been very people friendly though I have switched up a bit to get "things" perfect. I have never had no sold an aggressive roo. I have raised most from egg or chick. Currently I have my main 3 roosters and (only) 3-4 cockerels. They are fabulous in every way. If I had 8 acres.... hehehe, I'd have a lot more.

 

[_Moon_]

My rir roo is super sweet. His name is Sandman. lol. I also have multiple silkie roos, but my fav is Everest.He always talks to you when you enter the coop.

 

[_Moon_]

I find it hard to cull roos. Probably because either it involves them going to a home where they are mistreated to them being eaten at our farm. I personally find it hard to kill them, because that means I have to see the life leave theirs eyes. I always love my roos, even if they are big grumps. I only have two big grumps, and they are Phoenix (D'anver roo) and Bubba (Silkie roo). But I still love them

 

[_Moon_]

A rooster will not protect hens from predators they will save themselves thats it. I rotate males every year as I only use them for breeding. They dont serve any other purpose to me

That actually isn't entirely true. May d'anver rooster has fought my dog. His hen was getting ripped through the wire and he did attempt to harass the dog. (I know this because my dog had small scur marks on her nose. They were barely visible, but they were there. And I KNOW that Phoenix would never just give that hen up. They were mates.) (And yes I know, Roosters don't have a actual mate, but they do have their favorites, which btw, I call "mates".)

 

[Ponypoor]

I’m looking for good, bad, and ugly experiences. I want a rooster for hawk protection so I can let the girls free range a bit more. I currently have 3 silver laced Wyandotte hens and am planning to get 3/4 more hens beginning of next year and possibly a rooster. I live on 8 acres in the country so no hoa or bylaws to contend with. Do you feel like having a rooster made ki enjoying your hens harder to do?
My hens treat me like their rooster (doing the little mating plop if I so much as wave a hand in their direction) and follow me willingly back to their coop after I let them out to free range for an hour or so. I’ll be a little sad if they are more interested in the rooster than me but maybe the rooster will be the same if I raise them? I’m interested in getting another silver laced roo or an Easter egger roo and Easter egger ladies. I kind of like that my Wyandotte’s are on the more skittish/wary side (don’t enjoy being picked up but will come up to me and sit on my legs), and I think maybe a Wyandotte rooster would be more watchful because of that.

I am new to chickens but learning fast. I started with a few silkie chicks who turned out to all be hens, then inherited some 'easter-egger' mixed chicks, Of which I ended up keeping 3 pullets and one Roo. Then I inherited 3 mature hens from a cousin. All integrated really well.

The young rooster who is about 21 weeks now has worked out well, he gets a bit excited but I just glare at him and he tones it down.

I even have some chicks from him and One of my silkies that went broody. The chicks r 6 weeks today and have been running with the gang since the first week.

I saw Pangoo Rooster chase off a blue jay the other day and he seems to keep an eye out for the gals. He is fairly tame and allows me to pick him up and he will eat from my hand - of course it helped he has been here since a week old hahaha.

I think if u invest in handling and luck out on temperament a rooster is fine to have. My guy has been good so far - as long as he behaves he can stay!

This is Pangoo hanging with my mare.

 

[Perris]

I wouldn't be without roosters in my flock.

Mrs K gave excellent advice and guidance in her early post on this thread. There've been lots of other good tips and warnings too. They are as individual as hens so experiences differ widely.

I think the key takeaways are that

• as teens, they almost all go through a hormonally driven jerk phase, which they will grow out of, and grow out of it more quickly if they are raised within the flock, or you already have mature birds to teach them how to behave
• if they are aggressive to people you should cull them; also, I have culled 2 that grew up to be aggressive to the rest of the flock, and flock harmony was restored instantly
• good ones will protect your flock. Two of mine sustained horrendous injuries in a daylight fox attack last year (both recovered); one hen was taken but all the rest were unharmed (well, shaken, but they soon got over it). A junior roo took over as dominant while his injured seniors were recuperating, and has remained the boss. His dad, ex-dom, is always present in the wings and steps in as flock protector whenever the dom is absent on e.g. escort or nesting duties. He also often looks after any sub-flock of youngsters after the broody has cut the apron strings and driven them off, but they're too timid to join the main flock.
• they enable those of your hens who want to raise chicks to do so, and thus offer you the option of a self-sustaining flock, if you want it.

There are also loads of heartwarming moments, like this one when dad was supervising bath time

 

[TropicalBabies]

I wouldn't be without roosters in my flock.

Mrs K gave excellent advice and guidance in her early post on this thread. There've been lots of other good tips and warnings too. They are as individual as hens so experiences differ widely.

I think the key takeaways are that

• as teens, they almost all go through a hormonally driven jerk phase, which they will grow out of, and grow out of it more quickly if they are raised within the flock, or you already have mature birds to teach them how to behave
• if they are aggressive to people you should cull them; also, I have culled 2 that grew up to be aggressive to the rest of the flock, and flock harmony was restored instantly
• good ones will protect your flock. Two of mine sustained horrendous injuries in a daylight fox attack last year (both recovered); one hen was taken but all the rest were unharmed (well, shaken, but they soon got over it). A junior roo took over as dominant while his injured seniors were recuperating, and has remained the boss. His dad, ex-dom, is always present in the wings and steps in as flock protector whenever the dom is absent on e.g. escort or nesting duties. He also often looks after any sub-flock of youngsters after the broody has cut the apron strings and driven them off, but they're too timid to join the main flock.
• they enable those of your hens who want to raise chicks to do so, and thus offer you the option of a self-sustaining flock, if you want it.

There are also loads of heartwarming moments, like this one when dad was supervising bath time
View attachment 2909864

X 2