Getting a Rooster?

[snmartinez]

So my husband and I are currently enlarging our coop, so I can get a few more chickens. I am thinking about getting a rooster. I have a few reasons for this and none of them being because I want baby chicks, I want a rooster because we live in the middle of no where and have quite a few predators and I would like the rooster to be some what of an alarm system. I also want one,so I have the option for down the road I could hatch babies. So I am asking what are the pros and cons of having a rooster? Thank you. If you want more information just ask.

Also any recommendations for nice roosters, that are kid friendly would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tadaen sylverma]

Crowing is the only real downside as far as I'm concerned.

 

[roostersandhens]

Pros: They protect the hens, they crow, it's fun to look at their pretty colors, and they are chickens, which means they are awesome!!! Cons: They can sometimes be mean, but to prevent aggression read this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-train-a-rooster-to-be-nice

 

[bobbi-j]

Personally, I love hearing my rooster crow. But we live 20 miles from town, our nearest neighbor is a mile away, and the coop is quite some distance from the house. So he's really not bothering anyone. As far as personality, it's anybody's guess. There is no way to know how any rooster is going to develop, whether you handle them or not. If you look, you'll find lots of threads that say how the rooster has been handled since he was a baby and suddenly turned mean. Is it from the handling? I don't know. I've always been a hands-off type of chicken keeper. I have had some mean roosters, and I've had some good ones. A good rooster, in my opinion, is one who keeps a respectful distance when I'm near the hens or in the coop. He leads the flock, and minds his own business and not mine. My current rooster is like that, and so was his father. The father was a Brahma, and my current one is a Brahma/EE cross. In my experience, the Brahma - and now his son - have been the best roosters I've had. The most aggressive ones I've had have been EE's, and a Barred Rock. The EE's were beautiful, but not worth keeping around due to their rotten personalities. There is no way, though, to guarantee that any breed will be "kid friendly".