Do You Really Need Roosters?

[peach2727]

We Have 250 Free Range Chickens And Are Intersted Only In The Eggs.

I Have Been Told That You Do Not Need Roosters For The Hens To Lay

Eggs. You Only Need The Roosters To Fertilize The Eggs If You Want To Have

Baby Chicks.

However, I Am Being Told Now That We Should Keep Our Roosters Even If We Are Not

Interested In Chicks. The Reason Is The Fact That With Some Roosters In The Flock, The Eggs

Will Have A Brighter Yolk And Be A Better Quality Egg.

Is This True? If Not, I Will Sell All Of My Roosters And Save The Food Costs.

Thanks For All The Help As We Are Just Starting Out Here In Ecuador And Are Getting Conflicting

Information.

 

[gallusdomesticus]

Roosters have no effect on the egg except to fertize it. The color of the yolk is dependent upon the food you give your girls and the egg shell color is genetic. Sorry to dispell the old wives tales!

 

[peach2727]

Thanks For The Info. I Am Just Wonering Why Many People Here Who Have Dealt With Chickens All Of Their Lives

Insist That Roosters In Your Flock Will Result In Better Eggs. Strange! You Would Think People With Experience

Would Know The Facts.

 

[Dar]

Quote:
because they have never been to BYC...

Roosters can be good for protecting the flock... but they are not needed...

its an old wives tale that the rooster has an affect on the egg...

just like another wives tale that my dad swears by... that you cant eat a fertilized egg

 

[lisa lisk]

You dont have to have a rooster. They dont have an efect on egg quality. I like to have a couple, they watch over the flock. Mine make a lot of noise if any thing out of the ordenary happens. Then I come a running and fix what ever they are fussing about. Mine tell the girls when it is time to go to roost. They only go to roost after the girls are in safe and sound, and they have checked everything over. Lisa

 

[peach2727]

So If I Am Only Interested In Eggs, Should I Keep Any Roosters At All? I Have 20 And 230 Hens.

Thank You.

 

[Break an Egg]

Quote:
because they have never been to BYC...

Roosters can be good for protecting the flock... but they are not needed...

its an old wives tale that the rooster has an affect on the egg...

just like another wives tale that my dad swears by... that you cant eat a fertilized egg

x2

 

[FrizzlesRule]

Quote:
Rooster are beautiful and half the joy of having chickens. They are good protectors and if you ever want to hatch your own chicks and know who the parents are is another good reason to have atleast one rooster around. I've always have had roosters and love them.

 

[jacyjones]

I never have any cockerels and my girls lay really well. If you want them for protection then have them but you do not need them.

 

[BarredBuff]

You only need roosters if you want babies. It does not affect the egg quality.