Help me convince them about a rooster!

[Sassafras]

So, I have 12 pullets and I am raising 3 of them for a friend so I will end up with 9 hens. I saw a beautiful Americauna rooster for adoption at the local shelter that I really want. I have plenty of room with a big pen and coop. My husband says "no roosters!" but he also said "no chickens" last year too.

My Mom who lives with us thinks it will wake her up at night/early am in the summer. The coop is about 200 feet away from the house and the chickens are secured in it at night. The shelter will let me return him if it does not work out. He is respectful with people but he is in a bachelor group.What tactics can I use to get them on board? Not that I won't just get him anyway and return him if it doesn't work out.

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Here are my best excuses to get a rooster....

1. The best thing about a rooster, is that he'll watch over, and take care of the ladies, and you won't have to watch them quite so closely when they are out in the yard. He'll be your little soldier on guard out there.

2. In a group of all females, sometimes one hen will decide to take the place of the male, and start crowing, and quit laying eggs. You don't want that do you?? That's just not right.

3. They make great alarm clocks, and are almost always on time. You won't have to worry about an power outage, and not waking up on time.

4. If he starts crowing while the hens are sleeping, at 3am, one of the hens will probably get annoyed, and knock him off his roost to make him shut up. We ladies can be like that!

5. If you have decent windows, the sound won't be bad at all inside the house, if not, I'm sure you wanted new windows anyways.

6. And last of all, they have such a bright optimistic attitude! Who else do you know that wakes up in such a great mood every morning, singing at the top of their lungs? "Oh what a beautiful morning.....Oh what a beautiful day..... I've got a wonderful feeling...Everythings going my way.... Say... Oh what a beautiful day!!!"

 

[smokeykk]

 

[brandislee]

So far as husbands go, I find it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission

I had no intention of having roosters, but got seven chicks straight run from a breeder with the intention of processing the males (the DP males, anyway). Now I know I will be keeping the roosters, barring strong personality changes or complaints from our neighbors (we live rurally, but have close neighbors on all sides). So far my roosters are super friendly and funny to watch. I have two, so they challenge each other but haven't become aggressive or anything and always roost right next to each other, and they've already started keeping the hens in line lol. I also have one EE who was supposed to be a pullet, but now I'm about 75% sure is a cock. Not sure if I'll keep three, but man is he/she a good looking chicken.

Of course, none of them have crowed yet, so I may be singing a different song in a few weeks But we have good windows and the bedrooms are across the house from the coop side. Plus my husband gets up before dawn anyway, so (besides the neighbors) the crowing would only potentially bother me or the kids (who are heavy sleepers). Of guests, since the guest room pretty much faces the coop.

Just go pick him up, put him in the coop (in quarantine, of course), and see how long it takes them to notice- that's what I would do!

 

[Steph Martin]

I think a rooster is a great idea...the way nature intended it to be. He will take care of the ladies, show them the best food, protect from intruders. I am without a roo right now but a couple of years ago I had more than one in the flock. Mine didn't crow at daybreak but later on in the morning (maybe a late riser too) and he crowed everytime one of the hens layed an egg (he was very proud). He also let us know in the night if something was creeping around. I am also in the process of getting a rooster. I just started another layer flock after a two year sabbatical and I must say I miss the rooster...it kind of completes the flock. Good for replacement chicks as well, in case you have lazy layers or some get picked off. Good luck.

 

[Sassafras]

I like the "it is easier to seek forgiveness than to gain permission" theory. My husband has used that himself.

I definitely want to free range them and I am worried about the neighbors !@#&#! big dog if I go in the house for a minute. He would put up a fuss if the dog came around I hope. It does not help to ask/tell them to keep it off my property.

 

[33yardbirds]

Get the Roo and tell your husband the chicken fairy brought him.

 

[neverbdone]

Look DH - One of the hens turned out to be a rooster - Oh My!

Or - It just isn't a farm without listening to a rooster crow.

Actually I had a roo that would crow any time day or night. If you have trouble with the sleep thang, you can always put him in a pet carrier at night. If they cant lift their head high, they can't crow.

 

[Sassafras]

I just remembered. I'll point out to my husband that the rooster can't be any more annoying than the cat is at 5:30 wanting to be fed.

 

[Moxiechick]

Maybe I'm just a deep sleeper, but I have never been woken up by a rooster, ours or the neighbor's. Both coops are less than 60-70 ft. from the house.

I would honestly rather hear a rooster crowing than the sounds of trucks backing up, horns honking, or other typical city noises. It lets me know I am blissfully "not" in the city!
SunnyCalifornia gave some really good reasons. Another would be that they are just plain fun to watch! My roo will find all sorts of tasty tidbits for the girls and call them over to it.