Explain what being broody is to me.

[ValerieJ]

Actually, I found it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

 

[JoeInPA]

I don't think his hormones have kicked in. Your sweet little rooster will certainly be a little crazy at least when that happens, but some just get really mean both with the pullets and with people. @Shadrach has an excellent article on getting to know your rooster. Perhaps he'll pop in and post a link to it for you.

Probably not. I guess he's around 15 weeks. I'm somewhat reluctant to get rid of him because 1.) His crowing royally pisses off my neighbors. (I don't get along with my neighbors too well.) And legally there is nothing they can do about it. Roosters are legal to own and livestock/poultry are exempt from noise regulations.

Other than to spite my neighbors, he is the only one I have of my original 3 birds. The other two were also roosters and had to go. And lastly he is really pretty. The other birds aren't much to look at, but he has that bright red comb, and the greenish purple tail feathers, and the dark Amber colored feathers.

 

[DiYMama540]

Agreed...roosters are gorgeous! I'm not allowed to keep any "roosters or crowing hens"...nothing said about ducks or geese at all, so I'm taking full advantage of that loophole

 

[Willowspirit]

That's what I'm reading too. She has a rooster and says she cannot eat the eggs because they cause an allergic reaction. I'm really sorry I said this now. No one ever disagreed with it before, so I never researched it. I have heard this from more than a few chicken keepers around here, but I'm wondering if it's an old wives tale.

Well there are some cross allergies. If you are allergic to penicillin you are also likely to be allergic to bee stings and eggs. That might be the source of the idea. I have had allergies to eggs but right now I eat them every day with no problem.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

I have heard that fertilized eggs actually contain natural penicillin. That sounds beneficial to me, but I have a friend who cannot eat them because she is allergic to penicillin.

This is good to know for me ... I'm allergic to penicillin Wonder if it's the same as the injection? Not brave enough to "test" it

I would definitely talk to your doctors as they would know best. I understand your fear. And for your friend @ValerieJ, have her talk to her doctor and see if she can (unless she already has)

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Agreed...roosters are gorgeous! I'm not allowed to keep any "roosters or crowing hens"...nothing said about ducks or geese at all, so I'm taking full advantage of that loophole

Me too! I had a rooster and in the rule book it roughly said "You may only keep 12 hens, female ducks, female peacocks (forgot their name), not including roosters." It never said you couldn't keep roosters so I did. I stayed at the rule at 12 hens and 1 rooster. But everyone does that here so

 

[ValerieJ]

Probably not. I guess he's around 15 weeks. I'm somewhat reluctant to get rid of him because 1.) His crowing royally pisses off my neighbors. (I don't get along with my neighbors too well.) And legally there is nothing they can do about it. Roosters are legal to own and livestock/poultry are exempt from noise regulations.

Other than to spite my neighbors, he is the only one I have of my original 3 birds. The other two were also roosters and had to go. And lastly he is really pretty. The other birds aren't much to look at, but he has that bright red comb, and the greenish purple tail feathers, and the dark Amber colored feathers.

Usually you just need to be patient while he goes through adolescence, and if he is too rough with the pullets, separate him in a look but don't touch pen. Small children need to be kept safe when cockerels are aggressive.

My hope is that you don't have an aggressive cockerel to deal with. As far as over mating the pullets, that will probably happen during his high hormonal period.

I have possibly 3 cockerels in my new chicks and plan to set up a bachelor pad. They can have conjugal visits, but are not living with my hens and pullets, until I find one that doesn't tear up my girls. I have had really bad luck with them so far, so have not had one for a while.

 

[Mimi13]

This is good to know for me ... I'm allergic to penicillin Wonder if it's the same as the injection? Not brave enough to "test" it

My eggs are fertilized, they sit on my kitchen counter, I am allergic to PCN and I eat the eggs. I have nary a problem. I’ve never heard this one before.

 

[JoeInPA]

Me too! I had a rooster and in the rule book it roughly said "You may only keep 12 hens, female ducks, female peacocks (forgot their name), not including roosters." It never said you couldn't keep roosters so I did. I stayed at the rule at 12 hens and 1 rooster. But everyone does that here so

I live in what some would consider suburbia and most of the surrounding municipalities prohibit owning roosters or even chickens altogether. The ones that don't prohibit chickens have some pretty strict ordinances on coop size, location, construction, noise, etc. Fortunately my municipality allows chickens and rooster and gives no specific limit as to quantity or any regulations about the coop. No one around here has chickens, which is probably why there isn't any laws regarding them... There has never been a need.

Usually you just need to be patient while he goes through adolescence, and if he is too rough with the pullets, separate him in a look but don't touch pen. Small children need to be kept safe when cockerels are aggressive.

My hope is that you don't have an aggressive cockerel to deal with. As far as over mating the pullets, that will probably happen during his high hormonal period.

I have possibly 3 cockerels in my new chicks and plan to set up a bachelor pad. They can have conjugal visits, but are not living with my hens and pullets, until I find one that doesn't tear up my girls. I have had really bad luck with them so far, so have not had one for a while.

Well fortunately there are no small children around, my youngest sibling is 17. I had a total of 4 roosters (bought straight runs, bad rookie move) to start with, and the one I currently have was the smallest and most docile of the 4. Hopefully he works out. Worst case scenario, I will have to re-home him and replace him with another pullet.

 

[ValerieJ]

My eggs are fertilized, they sit on my kitchen counter, I am allergic to PCN and I eat the eggs. I have nary a problem. I’ve never heard this one before.

There's your empirical evidence right there.