Give Me Five Good Reasons!

[BarkerChickens]

1) Great protectors and warn the hens of danger! (one of my roo even growled at two sparrows a few days ago!

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2) Keep peace among the flock. (Two of my roos will run across our yard to break up two hens squabling. The aggressor gets a quick peck or if necessary a quick pull on the neck feathers to get her away from the other hen.)

3) GORGEOUS! Eye Candy in the backyard!

4) Funny to watch as they prance around the yard guarding everything. (One roo will stand on our patio furniture, so he can watch over the yard. And if he wants attention from us, he comes to the sliding glass door and will crow for us to come outside (but we can't pet him

He's goofy like that))

5) The crow is beautiful (well, once mature. The teenage/learning to crow stage is more hilarious than pretty. It's like a cracking voice at puberty)

Our Delaware roo is a bit bossy and a little rough with a couple of his favorite hens, but with 28 hens and 3 roos that we are going to keep, we're not too worried. He is an amazing protector, but a bit ornery sometimes.

Our salmon Faverolle is not the top roo (or second for that matter), so he isn't a good protector, but he is gorgeous and with a hilarious personality! He does crow if he is upset about something though, so that is good. He is young, so maybe he'll grow into his protective traits. He is a sweetheart though.

Our Jersey Giant is great! Gorgeous roo with a beautiful, deep crow! He tries to protect the flock, but he is slower than the Delaware, so he isn't the best disciplinarian between the two. He is keep an eye out though and the ladies love him! They all hang out by him like little puppy dogs!

I can definitely see myself keep roos of these breeds in the future as well. Great birds!

 

[chicken_china_mom]

Well thus far I have nearly 20 roosters, though 5 I am rehoming free as they were the packing peanuts with my last shipment of chicks, and one beautiful boy I am selling, but so far all my roosters are good boys. Here are some PRO reasons as to why I have, and keep my boys around:

1.) Their coloring is so much more vibrant and beautiful than what the girls have, no matter what species of chicken I have, only exception being my silkies. Cause even those girls are gorgeous!

2.) Money. If I separate them next Spring I can breed for purebreed chicks and make money off both the fertile eggs AND the chicks that I hatch out. If I don't want chicks, we just eat the eggs.

3.) They take care of their girls and protect them. They keep my hens safe.

4.) My boys are, for the most part, more affectionate than my hens. My little RIR cockerels actually come running for hugs and kisses.

5.) They help replenish the flock. If you aren't worried about mutt chickens then put a roo in there and you'll never have to worry about having to buy new chickens when your girls get too old to lay for you. If you get chicks you don't want, offer them for a low price or give them away on craigslist. Trade out your roo every few years for fresh blood (introducing new genetic material so you don't have a bunch of inbred chickens is what I mean) or give him away for free.

The pros really outweight the cons in my honest opinion. If I get a roo I don't like, I get rid of him. Now I have nearly 20 boys in my coop and honestly, they really dont' crow as much as I expected them to. I hear one boy in the morning, another boy in the afternoon, and after I usher everyone back into the coop at night I hear another one. Everyone over 12 weeks old can crow, they just don't. They all get along well enough and dominancy has been established, so crowing is at a minimum. My neighbors don't seem to mind, considering I'm not the only one in the neighborhood with chickens OR roosters, I love all my birds. I think of all my roosters personalities, I get a kick out of my cuckoo maran rooster the most. I got him when he was about 8 weeks old cause I was so amazed at his colors and the fact that at the time he had blue eyes and pink legs. I thought he was gorgeous. Well, he still has the pink legs, but his eyes are now yellow. He doesn't stand still. EVER. He doesn't walk either. He runs everywhere. He's funny to watch, and when I bring treats out to them he has to be the first to get some, no matter what it is. His favorite treat is macaroni and cheese and I love seeing his face light up when he realizes that mommy has his favorite treat. He's also the one that tests my patience the most (he likes to try to investigate the neighbor's lawn, and once he tried to investigate the corn fields at the end of the block which is across the road from my yard, we have no fencing) but he gets disciplined and he has never pecked, bitten or tried to use his spurs on anyone. As for gentle roosters, I like my cochins, though some are more docile than others. It depends on the individual bird. I like my little sebright roo and of course, my maran roo. I think my turken is the most docile of them all though. He does like to step on the heads of the bantams but he never ever bites or does anything mean. My silkie roo is a doll too. I work with my boys to make sure they are nice. Whatever you decided, I hope it works out for you. As for me, I'll be keeping my roos!

 

[chickensioux]

All very good convincing reasons. I want my roo so bad and I just know my stinky neighbors are gonna have their complaints. They complain about the hens noise they make after they have laid an egg. Oh well....they hear the turkeys, the call ducks, the hens, the dogs and I guess now, the roo.