Dumb question about keeping a rooster...and color question

[grullablue]

If you've read my post before, we have 15 chicks (mixed breed, they were from a kindergarten class hatching). They are about a month old now, and doing well. Looks like we have 6 roosters out of the 15. We're in the process of building an 8 by 12 foot barn for them, with a run, but that will take some time, so they're still living in a cage in our garage. The plan was to keep the hens for pets and eggs. I didn't want to keep the roosters because I heard they could fight with each other, perhaps become mean, and I didn't want chicks running around...we really didn't need more chickens. There's only three of us, we can only eat so many eggs!

But...I love the sound of crowing...and had wondered if I could keep one just to listen to him crow. Is that insanely stupid?? Is that selfish? To keep a roo just for that? Do they tend to get mean? And....can you eat eggs that have been fertilized, are they the same as non fertilized eggs? And may we deal with behavior issues? I wanted to ask these questions before I find homes for the boys....

Is it stupid to want to keep a roo just to hear him crow all day long?? lol

Also....another dumb question....the chicks are all feathering out well...they're white. At about a month old, are they pretty much the color they will be as adults??

Angie

 

[hooligan]

Thats not a silly reason at all I love to hear my boys crow! YOu might be able to get away with 2 roos with that many hens. I have two with less hens than that. Just socalize with them and pick them up often and you should have no problems with them getting aggressive with you. I can pick my boys up and carry them like babies

Eating fertilized eggs is just fine and if you have an abundace of them you can always sell them, give them away, feed them to the chickens OR if you have dogs, they'd love them too

 

[barnkat]

It's nice to see someone that wants to keep a rooster just to hear him crow--there are so many people who complain about their neighbors roosters crowing as if it's a nuisance, or some kind of noise pollution!

A morning without the sound of roosters crowing always feels a little empty to me...

I have two roosters that were raised together that never fight. When they were growing up they fought a little to establish their place, but it was very minor and they haven't fought since. In my experience once they establish their place in the flock, there's no need to fight. If you stick a new roo into an already established flock, there will be fighting between him and the other roos to determine his place in the hierarchy, but then they'll stop and settle in.

I agree with hooligan, handle them often and you'll likely have very tame roosters.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

The single solitary reason I wanted a rooster was to hear him crow. One of the most beautiful sounds on earth IMO.

 

[hoosier]

I got a rooster for the sole purpose of hearing him crow. I ended up with two and they were raised together (got them as day-olds) and never fought each other, but attacked us. They were handled often when young, too. I think breed may play a factor, but I realize tht is not the only factor.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

We eat fertilized eggs almost every day and I hear they are pretty good for you too

No difference in the taste either from non fertilized farm fresh eggs.

 

[mangled]

ALL our eggs are fertilized, and we also eat them every day.

As for the crowing, I love the sound, and we have 4 roos right now. Three are going to the stewpot.

We worked outside today and my in-laws stopped in and we were walking around the yard, and my pain in the bottom MIL said, how can you STAND that noise?

I honestly stopped and listened and said what noise? before I realised she meant the roosters crowing!

She also stepped in a big pile of BO roo poo with her sandals before they left, so you know, all in all, it was a good visit.

Good luck-
Em

 

[Tutter]

We lost our last rooster a while back, and are looking forward to getting one in our June chick order, and just because they are beautiful....and they crow!

Of the last 2 roosters I've had....one was a buff orpington, and one was a barred rock, we never had any trouble. Not a minute with either. That doesn't mean a potentially nice rooster won't become a trouble maker, it just means that all roosters are not trouble makers.

In this neck of the woods, they actually put the fact that eggs are fertilized on the cartons. Some people believe they are better for you, and they sell well.

The only thing is, gather the eggs promptly and don't miss any. Fertilized eggs can mean growing babies, and you don't want to find an egg you think is fresh, and have it developing. That's not a good thing, to put it mildly.

No, I don't think you're losing it at all. Go for it!

 

[Half-a-dozen]

Quote:

LOVE IT!!!!

 

[SpottedCrow]

I would love to have a roo and I'd settle for another crowing hen...
But the neighbours wouldn't be amused...

Unless you're an Orthodox Jew, you can eat the eggs with no problems.

As for feathering, chicks moult 3 times during their first year.
Here's Jerry as an example.
As a chick he was yellow with some black spots.
This is him at a month or so old.

This is him at 3 months old.

This is him when I had to rehome him.
Those are his "adult" colours.